Life Day Revelations (M version)
by TheLoneRebels 2.0
Summary: *NOW COMPLETE!* It starts with a lot of lemons and ends with SuperAni!. Or: What 'Revenge of the Sith' would look like if Marvel made an R rated Star Wars movie and Akakin never turns to the Dark side. :D Anidala, Rexsoka, Obitine, Codiyo, and Reylo featured.
1. Prologue - Padme's 'Boy'friend

**Hello there!**

**Thank you all soooooo much for checking out my story! If you like it, it's very inspiring to me if you let me know in some way, and thank you in advance for every fav, follow, or nice review; they're my own version of caffeine. :D :D :D :D :D**

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**Disclaimer: I don't own any Star Wars characters and any OC's that resemble real people are entirely coincidental. **

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**There is an explanation of how my calendar works and a list of helpful translations for my commonly used Star Wars words in 'Flame of Hope - Everyone' if you're curious.**

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**This story takes place after the Onderon arc and before the Younglings arc in 'The Clone Wars' cartoon.**

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**Life Day Revelations**

**Prologue - ** **Padmè's 'Boy'friend:**

_D85/32 BBY, Naboo_

Padmè Naberrie, only fourteen years old and better known as Queen Amidala of Naboo, groaned in protest as the first rays of sunrise suddenly hit her right in the face, accompanied by the sound of swishing curtains.

She rolled over onto her back, arm thrown over her eyes in protest. "Stars, is it morning already?" she mumbled.

A tinkling laugh answered her as more curtains swished open in her massive and ridiculously ornate bedroom, flooding it with dawning light. "Yes, I'm afraid it is, Milady."

Padmè moved her arm just enough to squint at her best friend and handmaiden, Sabè. "Not fair. I swear I just got to bed three hours ago."

"You did. And you have a meeting with Governor Bibble in an hour and a half."

Padmè sighed pathetically as she literally rolled her tired body off the soft bed big enough to sleep at least six people. (She knew this because all of her handmaidens had crashed with her after a long giggle fest inspired by too much cider and the girls' fascination with the dreamy topic known as the freshly promoted Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi.) "I know. I just wish those Gungan peace parties wouldn't go so long into the night. And that they'd stop asking me to dance. Kriff, I hurt."

Sabè appeared at her side, holding up a comfortable robe for her to slip her arms into. The young Queen mumbled her thanks as the older girl said, "Only one more night of celebrations, then the big parade and formal ceremony tomorrow afternoon. I have faith that you'll survive till then. And… you have three hours of free time this afternoon. I won't tell if you want to take a nap."

Padmè shot her friend a grateful look over her shoulder as she stumbled over to the refresher door. "Thank you, Sabè. You're the best."

"And don't you forget it." The cheeky reply just made it to Padmè's ears before the sliding door closed completely.

Smiling to herself, Padmè went about waking herself up with her normal refresher routine.

When she emerged twenty minutes later, she was squeaky clean, covered only by her soft robe, and her long brown hair was flowing in waves down to her waist. She immediately aimed for the bay window with the spectacular view of a waterfall and the little table within that held a covered tray with her breakfast and a datapad already loaded with the morning news reports from Coruscant. (A queen must keep up with all the latest news and gossip, donchaknow.)

Sitting down, she tucked into her eggs and bacon with gusto, interspersed with liberal sips of chocolate flavoured caf. At the same time, she scrolled through the news.

**BRAN PITERS AND ANJIE JOLLY BACK TOGETHER AGAIN?**

**The famous acting couple were seen holding hands as they left the set of their latest movie project, Malignant Spies. Will they tie the knot for the fifth time?**

She snorted. _Maybe, but I give it a month before they get divorced again. They've broken up how many times now, if we count the times that didn't include actual marriage? Twelve? Thirteen?_

**DELVIS SIGHTING ON ALDERAAN CAUSES 12 SPEEDER PILE UP!**

**Is the singing sensation actually back from the dead or is it just another wannabee?**

_Wannabee, no question. My parents went to his funeral. _

**PODRACE ON MALASTARE LEAVES 9 DEAD AND ONLY 1 FINISHER!**

**Is this sport really worth the thrills? Cast your vote now and see if you're in the majority!**

Padmè immediately pushed the 'No' button and growled when she the results popped up. _How can ninety-five point six percent of the galaxy think that those flying death traps are something worth watching? I am so glad that Ani isn't flying those awful things anymore. There's no way a little kid should ever have been put in one in the first place. Stupid nerfherders. They could at least make an age limit rule._

_Hah. Like that'll ever happen. Kriffing Hutts like their gruesome entertainment too much to give it up. _

Shaking off her anger, she delicately shoveled in another bite of perfectly prepared scrambled eggs and smiled almost evilly at the next headline.

**IN THE WAKE OF THE NABOO CRISIS, SENATE VOTES TO PLACE MORE RESTRICTIONS AND TAXES ON THE TRADE FEDERATION! VICEROY GUNRAY FUMES!**

**Sources say the Neimoidian was heard cursing the Republic and that they would pay for their stupidity. Should we be worried?**

_Yes. _

After reading the entire article about the Republic Senate's decision and sending the concise story to a file folder labeled 'Important Political Poodoo', she scrolled on.

_New opera house opening on Hosnian Prime to feature Lava Plaguna? Maybe I'll go there for my next holiday. When is my next holiday, anyway? Or right, I don't get holidays. Maybe I can sneak in a show the next time I'm there for a political function; her voice is the best in the galaxy and I've never seen her live._

_Sports, civil war on some Outer Rim planet I've never heard of, more sports, somebody I don't know just got hitched to somebody else I don't know. More sports. What's up with all the sports? Ooooo. Queen Breha finally picked a husband from all of her suitors! Good for her. I think I've met Bail Organa, haven't I? _

_Stars, even more sports. Who cares about spaceball? New hyperspace lane in development in the Mid Rim? That's worth reading at least._

She almost selected the story when the next headline caught her eye.

**YOUNGEST PADAWAN IN THE HISTORY OF THE JEDI?**

**Is Anakin Skywalker, former slave and winner of the deadly Boonta Eve Classic, the youngest Padawan to ever pass the Initiate Trials? **

**After only residing at the Jedi Temple for a week and a half, the young boy (9 galactic standard years), who was barely allowed into the Order in the first place due to being considered too old to learn their ways, has already been publicly listed as a graduate of the Initiate Trials. **

_Go, Ani! I knew he'd pass._

**We don't claim to know much about the ever mysterious Jedi, but even to this author, this seems practically miraculous. We can only conclude that Skywalker is a phenom with the Force. **

_Yes. Yes he is._

**Or is he?**

_What?! You doubt my Ani?! How dare you!_

**Is it possible that the Jedi Council is simply expediting the normal processes to please the new Chancellor, who was heard publicly praising the boy for his staring roll in the Nabooan victory over the Trade Federation? **

**This author believes so. **

_Bitch._

**It would seem even the monk-like Jedi are capable of kissing up to important rear ends, no matter how unattractive they are.**

_Okay, that was kind of funny; Sheev does have a rather scrawny arse. His sons have the same unfortunate problem. The girls have most certainly never sighed over a Palpatine arse the way they have over Kenobi's. _

**What do you think? Leave me a comment and let me know. **

_I might just do that, you trumped up nerf. _

**One thing we do know for sure is that the Chancellor and the entire High Council of Jedi have just been seen boarding a ship destined for Naboo to attend the Peace Ceremony between the aquatic Gungans and their human neighbors. And accompanying them was one recently Knighted Obi-Wan Kenobi and his new (official) Padawan, Anakin Skywalker. **

_Yay! Ani's coming back! I knew Master Kenobi would be able to talk his way onto that ship! That man has one of the smoothest tongues I've ever heard. He should go into politics; he could be the next Chancellor if he wanted. The girls will be happy to see him again, too, that's for sure. _

**What possible reason could the (somewhat older than normal and drop dead handsome) new Knight have for going back to the scene of his Master's death? **

**Further investigations? Facing his demons? Or perhaps the Knight is breaking tradition and following his heart? He did spend quite a few days in the company of a certain young queen and her pretty, if a bit cookie cutter handmaidens, after all, as their protector. **

**One can only speculate.**

**Force knows, this author is.**

_You can speculate till the nerfs come home, you sleemo. You'll never guess that they're coming back because Ani wants to see me again. It certainly isn't because Kenobi wants to come anywhere near my handmaidens. He seemed kind of scared of them, actually, and avoided them as much as possible. Clearly a dedicated practitioner of the Jedi Code._

_Unlike Ani, who ate up any attention he could get._

_Stars, that boy is the cutest thing. _

_He's going to be a heartbreaker when he grows up, I just know it._

**Next time on Jedi Watch: We explore the possible reasons why Obi-Wan Kenobi wasn't Knighted until the age of 25 when the average age is closer to 20. **

_That's actually a really good question. Maybe I'll ask him when he gets here so I can scoff at whatever speculations Skeeta Ritz comes up with._

Despite how much she hated the author of the article, Padmè sent it to the recently added 'Ani and Co.' file, where she'd already accumulated a few stories regarding one Anakin Skywalker and his fellow Jedi, whom she had recently become quite fascinated with. (No idea why. Honest.)

Her favourite article so far was the story about his win in the big pod race on Tatooine, because it came with a picture of Ani sitting on Master Jinn's shoulder as they celebrated his victory. The dirt covered boy had been looking down at the man with such devotion and Master Jinn had the most genuine smile of pride she'd ever seen on his usually serious face. She and his mother had been in the picture as well, but you could only see the back of their heads in the bottom corner. She had to fight tears every time she looked at it, because of the lost father/son relationship that had developed right in front of her eyes, but she loved it anyway. If Anakin hadn't seen it already, which she hadn't the heart to ask yet, she was going to send him a copy for his next birthday or Life Day, whichever came first. (She needed to ask him when his birthday was.)

At least he had Master Kenobi to fill the gap in his life that should never have had to be filled. (Twice.) The good news was that Ani had finally accepted Kenobi as a replacement male adult figure, but she could tell from some of the offhand comments he'd made during their daily comm chats that Ani would never let himself think of another man as a father because losing the first one to adopt that roll for him had hurt too much to possibly repeat. She could only hope that Ani and Kenobi could find a different kind of love between them and not get stuck in the 'no attachment' rule she'd read about; brothers would work, especially if they both associated Master Jinn as their father figure.

She was chugging the last of her cooling chococaf and reading the article about the new hyperspace lane when Sabè swept back into the room with Eirtaè and Rabè right on her heels, all done up in flowing grey dresses that transitioned from white at the top to the darkest grey by the bottom hemline with decorative silver belts in the middle. They looked beautiful while still maintaining an air of simplicity that Padmè envied.

"Time to turn you into a Queen, Milady," the head handmaiden said brightly as she opened the doors to the small apartment sized dressing room filled with enough expensive dresses and robes to have alternatively funded the entire population of a small planet for a year. (At least.)

Padmè pushed off the chair with a stifled groan inspired by sore thighs (the Gungans had WAY too much jumping in their native dances) and brought the datapad with her to read while her handmaidens went to work making her look like a Queen.

As Padmè sat down in front of a huge vanity for the long process of applying her makeup and finagling her hair into something insane but beautiful, a comm link in Sabè's pocket chimed. (She kept Padmè's comm in case the Queen wasn't available to talk, which happened a lot.) She pulled it out and checked the frequency before placing it in front of her on the vanity. "It's your boyfriend," the handmaiden couldn't help but tease.

Padmè rolled her eyes. "Please. He's NINE."

The girls giggled at the absurdity of such a suggestion as Padmè answered the still chiming comm link. A small holo of Anakin popped up, sitting cross-legged. Most of his hair had been cut short since she'd talked to him yesterday, with a tiny braid starting near the back of the right side of his head with what was left. _I bet there's a tiny ponytail at the back too._ He was also wearing a more formal looking Jedi outfit than the simple tunic and slacks he'd worn for their previous calls. Included with the layers of beige tunics and tabard was a fancy new leather belt. And hanging off his belt was a small lightsabre that she knew he had built himself only a few days ago. (He was very proud of it, understandably.)

"Ani! Look at you! You look like a miniature version of Master Kenobi!"

Ani blushed dark enough with pleasure and embarrassment to be visible through the holo. "Thanks, Mey. Considering the Temple of Beige Monotony supplied the new outfit, though, are we surprised?"

The girls giggled.

Anakin smirked.

_Stars, he's a clever boy. _Padmè shook her head at him fondly, inspiring a hiss from Rabè, who was working on her hair. (Sabè was theoretically picking out a morning dress appropriate for meetings while blatantly eavesdropping.) "Well, I'm sure if you ask nicely you can convince them to let you wear somewhat different colours. Darker one's maybe?"

Anakin tilted his head, thinking. "I've always wanted to wear black, but it's just an insane idea on Tatooine, unless you like frying in the suns, so Mom always vetoed it."

"Well, there you go. Ask for black tunics. Or at least dark brown ones."

"I don't know..."

"You should."

"Fine. I will. But it's your fault if they all think I'm falling to the Dark side already."

"How could they? You're the sweetest boy. Just smile at them with your bright blue eyes and any ridiculous thoughts like that will fly right out of their heads."

Anakin looked at her like she'd hung the stars. "Force, Mey, you always have the answer for everything. I guess that's why you're the Queen?"

The girls snickered behind the hands.

"Something like that. Just out of curiosity, why does it look like you're sitting on the floor?"

Anakin snorted softly. "Because I am. I'm supposed to be meditating while my Master and the High Council entertain the Chancellor, but that got boring about half an hour ago. So I sat here and started thinking about all the modifications I'd like to make to the incredibly slow Temple speeders, which seemed meditative enough to me. And I'm still in the position, so that has to count for something, right? And then I got this urge to call you that I couldn't resist no matter how hard I tried, so I did."

Padmè could only smile indulgently at his spew of speedy words; no other response seemed appropriate. "Well, if it's any consolation, you finally caught me at a good time."

"Really?"

"Really. I'm not in a meeting, or in the shower, or in the middle of getting dressed, or sleeping, or eating. Frankly, Ani, your timing was actually kind of perfect for once. And I even have a good ten minutes left while the girls play with my hair and face before I have to move."

Anakin blinked with wide eyes. "Whoa. I wish I could tell all of the Masters you said that. According to them, I have yet to show up on time for any of our lessons. I can't help it that the Temple is massive and I keep getting distracted by the cool stuff in it and I keep meeting new people who want to talk to me."

"Poor Ani. Things will get better, I'm sure."

"Yeah. I'll be old news eventually."

"Oh. Eirtaè is frowning at me. That means I need to keep my face still now. Why don't you tell me about your Initiate Trials while she finishes my makeup?"

Anakin literally lit up at the suggestion. "Sure!" He squiggled around a bit, crossing his legs the other way. "Well, first I had to recite the Jedi Code from memory, which was easy. And then I had to assemble my lightsabre with nothing but my mind, which was awesome. And I could sense how proud Master Kenobi was of me and how shocked the other Masters were that I could do that already – they thought Master Kenobi was insane when he requested that I take my Initiate Trials after less than a month of training - but he said I was ready, and I really wanted to be able to call myself a proper Padawan and not just a poser with special privileges, so he convinced them. And then…"

Anakin was so amusing and adorable as he talked animatedly about his Jedi accomplishments, Padmè had to keep reminding herself to keep her face still so that Eirtaè would stop growling at her. And the whole time, one thought niggled at the back of her mind:

_I don't know how this little boy has wormed his way into my heart, but I don't regret it for one minute. His comm calls are honestly the best part of my day._


	2. Anakin Worships Padme

**Anakin Worships Padme:**

_D365/21 BBY, Coruscant, Life Day_

Anakin placed the big box of mini cakes on Ahsoka's already laden arms somewhat reluctantly. "Are you sure you can carry all that, Snips? It's a long way to the 501st's barracks."

Ahsoka peered at him over the top of the box, only her eyes, forehead, and montrals visible. "Don't worry about me, Master. This is nothing compared to some of the ridiculous things we had to do training as younglings, as you should know. I'll be fine." And with that, she twirled away, putting enough bounce in her step to make her back lek sway a little, just to prove that she did, in fact, have the burden under control.

_Cheeky brat. _

_"I heard that," _she thought back.

_"You were supposed to," _he laughed into his Padawan's mind.

_Nerfherder._

_"Hey! I heard that!"_

Ahsoka sent him a mental smirk. _"You were supposed to."_

"I'll be back at 5:50," he called out loud to her retreating form. "Don't be late!"

Ahsoka's laughter carried back to him on the wind. "I'm not the one who's going to be late, Skyguy."

Anakin shook his head at his beloved and much too full of herself Padawan before hopping into his speeder with a hand on the frame. _Still just as snippy as the day I met her. But… she's probably right._

Dodging through the traffic that wasn't moving anywhere near fast enough to suit him, Anakin sped back to the nearest shopping mall to pick up a present for his wife. It would have been more efficient to purchase her gift when he and Ahsoka were there not even half an hour ago, but not even he could come up with a good enough excuse to stop in a jewellery store that would make any sort of sense.

Parking his speeder in an underground lot, Anakin then took the elevator up to a floor about midway up the mall and aimed for a store he'd frequented before.

Five minutes later, he was back in the elevator with his purchase, since it had already been waiting for him at the customer service desk. He tucked the little black velvet box into a pocket inside his tunic, close to his heart, for safekeeping.

The elevator door opened, and Anakin strode back towards his gleaming blue and yellow speeder. He'd only gone three steps when he heard a slight rustle coming from the garbage bin beside the elevator door. Curious, he turned back around and stared at the big green bin. _What was that?_

It rustled again.

_It's probably just a rat. Leave it. Padmè's waiting. _

He turned back towards his speeder and took a single step before it felt like he'd walked into a wall of thick gelatin and his instincts said he was going the wrong way.

_All righty then. The Force says go back, so go back I do._

As soon as he turned around the feeling of wrongness in his gut disappeared. _Far be it for me to ignore the Force_, he thought with a roll of the eyes. Despite being anxious to see his wife, he walked back to the garbage bin.

He opened the lid cautiously, ready to leap back if something ugly and beady-eyed jumped out at him.

Nothing did.

_Yay._

_Kriff, what a smell._

Crinkling his nose up at the obnoxious odour, he glanced inside the garbage can. A tall caf cup shook against a bag like a wave of hello. Using his robotic right hand, just in case, he reached in with a grimace, knocking the lid off and withdrawing his hand quickly. When still nothing jumped out, but scratching sounds could be heard, he stood on his toes and looked back in the bin. And saw a tiny ball of white fluff with pointy little ears and brilliant gold eyes looking up at him forlornly from inside the caf cup. _Awwwwww, man, what are you doing in there? _It meowed pitifully and tried to climb out of the cup but slid back down the slippery interior. Then the ball of white fluff tried to jump, but it pushed off with only one hind foot and just couldn't get a decent leap going.

Anakin's heart melted in sympathy._ Hang on, hang on, I'll get you._

"Here, little one. Let me help you," he murmured soothingly. Reaching into the bin again, he tipped the cup over and held his hand out for the tiny tooka to crawl onto. "How did you get stuck in there?" _Something tells me you didn't crawl in on your own, you poor little womp rat. _

The kitten sniffed his black glove before stepping onto it tentatively. Gratefully withdrawing his arm from the putrid container, Anakin let the garbage lid close and brought his hand up to eye level. He looked the little tooka over as it studied him in return with wide, unblinking gold eyes. It tilted its head a little, chirped at him, and then gave him a tooka grin before starting to purr loud enough to be mistaken for a herd of adult tookas. If he wasn't looking right at the kitten that fit in his palm easily, he wouldn't have believed the noise it made.

"Glad I meet your approval," Anakin said with a smile. "Come on then. I guess you're coming home with me," he told the tooka as he made for his speeder once again. "You want to be a Life Day present to the galaxy's sweetest angel?"

The kitten somehow purred louder in apparent approval.

Anakin grinned and nodded at the kitten that smelled like caf and garbage. "All right then. But first, I think a quick stop at a vet is in order. Let's see if we can get your leg fixed up before we present you to my wife. And perhaps they'll be kind enough to give you a bath."

He chuckled as the kitten climbed up his arm and settled on his shoulder, purr rumbling like a podracer in his ear. Tiny claws attached to his tunic as Anakin started up the speeder and took off, but the purr never stopped. He grinned at the kitten's excitement filled eyes as he wove through traffic, following the GPS to the nearest emergency small animal vet. _A tooka after my own heart. Figures. Always trust the Force. _

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After (mostly) sitting still for ten minutes, and then pacing for another ten minutes as the seemingly endless supply of Force energy inside of him sent his nerves to tingling (like usual), an impatient Anakin was presented with a clean and patched up tooka by a med droid. "The female kitten has a fractured leg, but it is casted with bacta and should heal fine. Bring her back in two days to get the cast removed."

Anakin handed over a generous credit chip to settle the bill. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Master Jedi."

_Let's go meet your new mama, little one, _he thought, smiling down at the kitten as he turned to leave with it cuddled to his chest. Its loud purr made itself known once again now that she had been returned to his presence.

Halfway through his turn away from the desk, the droid stopped him. "Pardon me, Sir, but might I inquire as to where you acquired the tooka?"

_Is that really his business?_

_I guess it doesn't hurt to answer._

Anakin turned back. "I found her sealed in a caf cup in a garbage can by the mall. Why?"

The hovering droid made a distressed face to the best of his ability, reminding him of Threepio. "Oh dear. That is dreadful. I ask because that tooka is microchipped and is an extremely rare and very expensive breed of miniature tooka called a Snowtoy. Under normal procedure, I am required to contact the owner, saying that someone found their tooka, but considering the circumstances of where you found her and her condition, I believe it is safe to assume that the tooka was abandoned."

Anakin glanced at the kitten that had crawled back up to his shoulder once again, not hindered by the cast on its leg at all. _How could anyone abandon such an adorable thing?_ He'd thought it was just one of the stray wild tookas that were found anywhere the rats could go. (Which wasn't usually the upper levels, but it happened.) "I would agree with that," he told the droid. "Would you be able to change the tooka's owner in the databanks?" He didn't want Padme to get in trouble in the future for owning a 'stolen' tooka.

The droid nodded. "Yes, Sir. For a Jedi, I can do this. Who do you want the owner listed as?"

Anakin tickled the tooka under the chin with a finger as it continued to purr in his ear. _Kriff, you're cute. _"Senator Padmè Amidala, please. This little one is going to be a Life Day present."

"Very good, Master Jedi. Shall I change her name too?"

Anakin raised a brow. "That would probably be wise. Out of curiosity, what is her name right now and how old is she?"

"Her name is listed as Blizzard and she is six months old. If you're wondering, she is approximately half her adult size right now."

Anakin blinked at the kitten. _That really IS a miniature breed._ Fully grown, she would be about the size of his fist when curled up, since she fit in just his palm now. _Amazing._

_But what an awful name. It could only be worse if they'd called her Sandstorm. Ugh._

Anakin had wanted to let Padmè name her, but he'd already come up with one while he was waiting for her to be healed, so he said it. "Let's change her name to Allegra. I have a feeling she's very fast when not broken. And even if she's not, her purr sounds like a podracer, so… yep. Allegra."

"Allegra it is," the droid said, nodding approvingly. "A much more civilized name for a very civilized breed, in my opinion. Thank you for bringing the tooka to our clinic and I look forward to seeing her again in two days."

Anakin smiled and waved goodbye to the droid as he left the empty reception area. _Nice droid. _

He'd always liked droids. Better than people, more often than not. They were so much easier to talk to. It actually kind of hurt him to destroy so many of them just because they were in service to the enemy. He'd never tell this to a soul, but he'd almost rather he was fighting organic beings that had a choice in what they were doing.

Leaving the vet clinic, he walked into the conveniently placed pet store right next door and purchased everything he could think of that a kitten could need or want. After that, he was officially broke until his next allotment of allowance, but it was worth it. Obi-Wan or Ahsoka could buy their meals for the next couple of weeks if they were out.

* * *

Parking in the guest lot of Padmè's luxury apartment building an hour after he said he would be there, Anakin pulled open the collar of his tunic. "Okay, fluff ball, I need you to hide for the next little while. Surely you're tired anyway?"

She chirped, looked down from her perch on his shoulder into the dark space offered, then glanced back up at his face, chirping again.

"It's fine, I promise. Nice and warm and everything," he reassured.

Allegra bumped his jaw with her head and then leapt down before wandering back and forth on top of his belt a couple times until she found a spot she liked against his hip. She snuggled up against his undershirt with a happy purr. His heart melted.

"Good girl," Anakin praised before picking up the big box of tooka supplies and toys and heading for the elevator. Her purr faded as he walked, and her signature quieted to sleep mode by the time the elevator was halfway up to the top floor. _Perfect_.

Shifting the box to one arm and propping it against his hip, Anakin punched in the code to Padmè's front door and let himself in. _Home sweet home. _"Threepio," he called as he strode through the large foyer of the apartment.

The golden droid he'd built from scraps so many years ago rushed up to meet him from an adjoining hallway, moving as fast as his stiff legs could. "Master Ani! You've finally arrived! Mistress Padmè was getting worried."

"I know, Threepio." _I can feel it. _"I was held up." _Story of my life, I swear. _He plunked the large box of supplies into the droid's surprised arms. "Take care of this for me, would you? And don't let Padmè see it yet."

"Yes, Master Ani," Threepio said as he struggled to hold the box and walk at the same time, looking inside at the contents in befuddlement. "Why do we have tooka food?"

"I'll explain later. Just put the box in the kitchen or something."

"Yes, Master Ani," Threepio said in a resigned tone.

"Threepio?" Anakin called to Threepio's back.

Threepio paused and turned his head back around as far as he could manage. "Yes, Master?"

"Don't interrupt us for the next two hours unless the place is burning down."

Threepio nodded in obeyance. "Understood."

They parted ways as they took different hallways. Following the seductive pull of his bond with his wife, Anakin made quick work of the trip to the master suite, passing doors to guest quarters and refreshers. After entering the huge room that had enough empty floor space to hold at least three more beds, he tossed his left glove onto the giant bed he shared with his wife whenever he could manage it as he passed it on his journey to the sliding glass door that opened to a small but fancy multileveled balcony.

Padmè was leaning on the railing on her crossed arms, watching the traffic fly by in the distance, her red dress fluttering in the breeze and giving teasing glimpses of her form as it moulded to her. Strands of her rich brown hair floated around her shoulders and whispered against her lower back. _Stars, she's so beautiful._

She always looked beautiful to him. She was his angel.

_I'm the luckiest guy in the galaxy. _

Anakin walked up behind her on quiet feet and wrapped his arms around her middle, bending over her small form to kiss her cheek. "Sorry I'm late, angel. Something came up," he said quickly before she could scold him.

If she hadn't heard the glass door slide open, Padmè probably would have startled at having someone suddenly touch her because her husband was astonishingly silent when he moved. (He said it was leftover from his days as a slave, when he would do his darndest to not draw any notice. She thought his training as a Jedi was also a factor since she rarely heard Obi-Wan or Ahsoka coming either.) As is, she sighed and turned around in his arms, looking up into his soft azure blue eyes that shone with love and begged for forgiveness. Two seconds of gazing into those eyes and she just couldn't be mad at him anymore, even though she had been thinking along those lines not even a minute ago.

"You're always getting distracted by something, Ani," she said with a rueful shake of her head as she reached up and brushed a golden lock off his forehead, whispering her fingertip over his skin and across the top of the scar over his eye. He was just so handsome and he had mastered the big puppy eyed look long ago.

Anakin shrugged apologetically and ran caressing hands up and down her back. His lips quirked up in a lopsided grin. "You know me; can't do anything right." He suddenly picked her up by the waist, making her gasp slightly, and placed her lovely round backside on the railing, bringing them closer to the same height. "Let me make it up to you, sweetheart."

Padmè wrapped her arms around his strong neck as she hummed in acquiescence. "I won't say no to that," she murmured, breathing in his clean and spicy scent that never failed to send her hormones into a frenzy.

Anakin smirked slightly as he rubbed her nose with his. "I didn't think you would." He cupped her jaw with his left hand and pressed soft, loving kisses to her other cheek, making for her mouth in a meandering path. He would never tire of the privilege of being able to touch her, love her. Never.

Padmè captured his lips with hers when he was taking too long. She so rarely got him all to herself, his loyalties keeping him going in ten different directions at once, that sometimes she got a little impatient for the first kiss. And just like always, the thrill of kissing him was enough to get her heart pounding in moments. _I wish I could kiss him forever. I wish I could tie him to our bed and never let him leave again._

She tangled her fingers in his silky curls, loving how he was letting them grow out longer than he used to. Maybe she'd even talk him into letting his hair grow down past his shoulders like Master Qui-Gon's had been. She imagined he would look incredibly dashing with long hair; kind of like a pirate with the scar, the metal arm, and the laser sword already included. She pulled away for a moment and looked at him with heavy lidded eyes, her lips red and glistening from his kisses. "There are a few things you do right, Ani, and kissing has always been one of them."

Anakin smiled cheekily at the teasing compliment. "I always do my best to please my Lady." His thumb stroked along her cheekbone, loving the blush he'd brought to the surface of her pampered skin. "You're my angel, my Queen, my heart, my everything." He dipped back down and pressed his mouth to hers again before she could respond.

Anakin's gloved hand clenched around a handful of her waist length hair as his tongue delved into her mouth and explored her depths and taste before entangling with hers. _Stars, how does she always taste so kriffing sweet? _His other hand travelled down her neck, her side, brushing the side of her breast on the way by, dipped into the valley of her waist before rounding over her hip and then continuing down the sleek length of her leg. He found the hem of her skirt eventually and then travelled back up the silky skin of her calf and thigh, gathering the skirt on his forearm.

His fingers came to a stop when he didn't encounter any underwear. Heart suddenly pounding in excitement and trousers tightening unmercifully, he pulled back and raised a brow at her, "Were you perchance anticipating my arrival, my love?"

Padmè gave a secretive smile. "Perhaps. Or perhaps I just felt like skipping that item of clothing when I chose this dress. Or maybe I got tired of waiting for you and already took care of my needs on my own." Her smile widened as his breath caught and his pupils dilated. _He's so easy._ She removed her hands from his hair and stroked them down her torso slowly and seductively as he watched. "I'll let you decide which option you like best." She moved her hands to his chest and trailed one downwards until it rested on the massive bulge in his trousers, now only vaguely hidden by the low hemline of his tunic. She leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "Which one turns you on more, Ani?"

_What a question. _Anakin sucked in some much needed air after forgetting to breathe for a minute or so. "Oh, Force, Mey. Any of them. All of them. You're so sexy when you talk like that." He collapsed to his knees in front of her and pushed her skirt up a little higher, placing both of his hands on her thighs to hold her steady on her narrow perch. He gazed at her glistening folds in awe and anticipation of her delectable taste as she opened her thighs a little wider for him. _All mine._ Turning his eyes back up to hers, he looked at her rather seriously. "No matter what option you actually did, I promise I'm going to make this gift worth your while."

Padmè's amber brown eyes glittered back as her hands returned to his hair. "I'm counting on it, my gorgeous Knight." She tugged on his curls lightly to move him closer, her core already throbbing in anticipation of his ministrations.

She closed her eyes and moaned quietly as his mouth found her center of desire and proceeded to drive her out of her mind with pleasure. He kissed her, licked her, sucked on her, nipped her clit, thrust his tongue into her, and then did it all over again and again until she was strung so tightly she had to let go of his hair before she tore the precious dark gold locks out by the roots. Instead, her hands moved to her breasts and squeezed while she bit her bottom lip to keep from screaming as the building orgasm finally ripped through her.

His eyes moved upwards to watch her face as she came, her head thrown back with eyes closed, hair cascading down, and her teeth abusing her bottom lip in the sexiest possible way. Through their Force bond, he drank in the echoes of her ecstasy like it was food for his soul. (Probably because it was.) Anakin gave her a few final licks, enjoying her juices as he cleaned up the evidence of her passion. _I did good. Again. _He smiled to himself as he licked his lips and then used the back of his synthleather glove to surreptitiously wipe his face while her eyes were still closed.

At the same time, Allegra chose that moment to wake up and started crawling around under his tunic. Anakin automatically put his other hand over her to hide her, which was a mistake, because Padmè had been relying on his hold on her thighs to keep her balance on the railing as she leaned backwards.

Padmè's eyes flew open and a breathless, 'Eeeeee!' escaped as she felt herself falling. She reached for Anakin. His quick reflexes caught her calf with one hand and her hand with the other, pulling her back into balance on the rail.

They stared at each other in shock for a moment.

"Frag, that was close," Anakin breathed. "I'm so sorry." He swept her minimal weight up into his arms and hugged her high against her chest, burying his face in her neck and feeling like a first class sleemo.

Padmè's arms went around his broad shoulders and she started giggling, unable to help herself.

He looked at her in surprise, thinking she would have blamed him for the near accident (not that she would have fallen far before he caught her with the Force, but she should never have lost her balance in the first place), but she was laughing.

Padmè cupped his face in her hands. "It's okay, Ani. I'm sure you didn't mean to drop me."

He shook his head as much as her hands would allow. "No. Never." He lowered his face to hers and kissed her sweetly and then a little desperately. "I love you, Mey."

She stroked her fingers along his jawline, feeling the tiny stubble that was trying to appear, and smiled, her eyes shining into his. _Stars, he's the sweetest man. _"I love you too, Ani. And I wouldn't be opposed if we continued where you left off."

Anakin sucked in a breath at the invitation in her eyes and nodded abruptly. "Right. I can definitely do that." He strode back up the curved stairway and into the bedroom, where it was much safer and decidedly more comfortable, closing the door behind him with a flick of his fingers. He set her on the bed gently, her red dress contrasting brilliantly against the blue and white bedding.

Allegra started crawling around inside his tunic again and meowed out in a muffled squeak that Padmè nevertheless heard, since he was still hovering right over her.

She focused on his tunic suspiciously. _If he's bringing rodents into my home, I'm going to kill him. I know he has a soft spot for animals, but surely he can draw the line at things that prefer garbage cans? _"Anakin. WHAT is in your tunic?"

Anakin stood up properly while looking down at the moving small lump under his tunic. _I suppose that does look a bit suspicious. _He looked at his wife and grinned and then undid his belt with one hand and stuck his other under the tunic and emerged with a tiny ball of white fluff sitting on his palm. "THIS is one of your Life Day presents, my beautiful wife." He tossed his belt, lightsabre included, onto a chair with a casual flick of his hand and presented the tiny tooka to Padmè as she sat up and got on her knees to better see as curiosity radiated from her. "Meet Allegra, you're new tooka." _Please, please like her._

Padmè gawked at the tiny thing for a few seconds. _Thank kriff it isn't a mouse. _Then she truly registered what Ani had said and her heart melted. _Stars, he got me a KITTEN! Love, love, love that man. _She held out her hands and the kitten eagerly trundled over to her cupped palms and chirped at her with a sweet little tooka grin. Padmè held her up close to her face and studied the little fluff ball, taking in the snow white fur, the big gold eyes, the cute pointy ears, and the cast on her leg. "She's adorable, Ani. Thank you. I love her already. But where did you get her? I'm pretty sure this is a Snowtoy tooka and that they're almost impossible to acquire because of the waiting lists for them." She held the kitten up to her cheek and Allegra licked her in affection before starting up a rather loud purr, which made Padmè giggle, because she sounded like a podracer. _Trust Ani to find a tooka like that._

Anakin was feeling rather proud of himself and thankful he'd listened to the Force. He grinned happily as he shucked his tunic, palming Padmè's other present from the pocket as he did so, and tossed the tunic on the chair. His undershirt was pulled over his head as well in the next instant. "She IS a Snowtoy tooka," he said as he undressed. "I found her in a garbage can, believe it or not. She's why I was late. I had to get her leg fixed and I bought a bantha load of stuff for her. Threepio has it."

Padmè shook her head at her now shirtless husband in disbelief. "That's awful. And you're amazing, Ani." She rose higher on her knees and leaned forward to press a kiss to his jaw.

Anakin blushed. "It was nothing. I knew she was meant for you as soon as I saw her." After toeing off his boots, he crawled on the bed beside her and knelt on his knees as well. "I got you something else as well, but I'm afraid it pales in comparison to the tooka."

Padmè put the kitten down on her thigh. "I'm sure it's wonderful too, whatever it is."

Allegra scampered off, bouncing eagerly over the bedding, exploring her new world.

Distracted, they watched her for a couple of minutes with rapt expressions, getting a little worried when she disappeared over the edge of the bed on the far side, but breathing identical sighs of relief when she appeared again, bolting around the room on three legs, only to stop and sniff something before taking off again. "That has to be the cutest animal ever born," Anakin observed before he remembered his other present. "Here, sweetheart."

He held out the small velvet box and held his breath. _Please like these too._

Padmè took it with baited breath as she opened it. _Oooooh, stars, he's killing me today._ "Oh, Ani, they're lovely."

"You like them?" he asked anxiously. "I wasn't sure about it when I got the idea, but it stuck, so I had them made for you."

Padmè took one of the two matching hair combs out of the box to admire more closely. The gold combs were shaped like the japor snippet necklace he'd given her so many years ago and were encrusted with the word 'angel' in flawless white crystals. "I love them, Anakin. They're perfect. And I can wear them in formal settings. It will be so nice to wear something of yours for everyone to see, even if they can't know who gave them to me."

Anakin breathed a silent sigh of relief that his gift had been well received as she put the comb back in the box and reached over to place it on the nightstand beside the bed where the original necklace hung on the lampshade in a place where it would be the last thing she saw before she went to sleep every night. (Her devotion to a simple necklace made by his nine year old self made his chest swell with nearly boundless emotions.)

Opening a drawer, she pulled out Anakin's present and handed him the long box wrapped in gold paper. "For you, my beloved husband."

Anakin tore off the paper eagerly and opened the box. Flipping the tissue paper out of the way, he gasped at the long elbow length gloves inside. The black leather looked to be of the highest possible quality that he could never afford on his allowance. (Not if he wanted to buy his wife presents, anyway.) They also had built in vambraces for his wrists and forearms, holding them rigid in their box, but looking just like the leather, so it was camouflaged armour and would save him a step when he suited up for war. And the icing on the cake was the state-of-the-art, way better than military issue, comm unit and mini computer already attached to the vambrace of the left glove "Oh wow, Mey, they're brilliant."

"I noticed your gloves were looking a little worn," she said by way of explanation. She watched eagerly as he tugged off the glove covering his black and gold mechanical hand and forearm, noticing the worn spots where he gripped his lightsabre were even more pronounced in the fingers than the last time she'd seen them, and then pulled on the new glove. They beamed at each other at the perfect fit, and then he pulled on the second glove as well, flexing his fingers experimentally.

"They're wonderful, Padmè. So soft and supple. I can barely feel them. Thank you." He pulled the one on his left hand off and tossed it and his two old gloves in the box before dropping it down to the floor. He then tipped her chin up with his fingers and kissed her gratefully before meeting her eyes again. "You always get me the best presents. I don't know what I did to deserve you."

Padme caressed his face in return. "Just being you is enough, Anakin. Don't you know how special you are?"

Anakin scoffed. "I believe you're the only one who thinks that, except for maybe Palpatine and Ahsoka. Everyone else is always scolding me for being too reckless or stupid or hot-headed." _Even Obi-Wan. _He sighed and flopped down onto his back, linking his hands behind his head and staring up at the ceiling. _Why can't they see that I'm just doing what the Force tells me to do or what is necessary for the situation? _"I don't even know why I try to please them so much sometimes."

"Because you're such an inherently good person, Ani. That's why," Padmè said as she stretched out beside him and stroked a hand down his chest soothingly. A hairless chest that was literally rock hard with muscles and didn't have an ounce of fat anywhere. She'd gotten to watch him fill out and mature into a man in the prime of his life over the last couple of years, and she had to admit, he was particularly drool worthy now. She'd married an incredibly cute boy, but the war had turned him into a mature warrior through and through. Any misgivings she might have harboured about her decision to trust in his love had been blown away long ago, even if she didn't get to see him anywhere near enough because of said war.

_And speaking of… I need to get rid of this. My hubby needs some love. _Padmè grabbed the hem of her dress and pulled the entire long length of silky fabric off over her head, leaving her quite naked as she threw the dress to the floor in a careless toss. (Anakin had been spot on earlier when he said she was anticipating his arrival and had dressed accordingly.)

Anakin's eyes were drawn by her movement, and just like that, his arousal returned in an instant. She was so little but so sweetly curved at the same time. She stole his breath, and his heart, and his brain cells every time he saw her unclothed. _And clothed too, for that matter_. A more perfect woman had never been formed, as far as he was concerned.

All thoughts flew from his mind except the one that insisted he needed to touch her and bury himself in her as soon as possible. His hands reached for her as he whispered, "Angel," in utter adoration. He pulled her over him, hands running up and down her slender back as her cloud of hair settled around them. "Force, you're beautiful."

Padmè smiled beatifically, wriggling against his erection as she ran her hands over his chest, abs, shoulders, and upper arms greedily. "You're pretty beautiful yourself, my warrior Jedi."

Anakin raised his gloved hand and wiggled his mechanical fingers. "Even though I'm not all real anymore?"

"Stop." She grabbed the hand and pressed it against her breast. "This is still you, Ani. We've had this discussion before. You know you don't have to wear the glove if you don't want to. I don't mind. I think the mechanical arm you made yourself is a beautiful piece of workmanship. It's just as much you as everything else."

_I don't know what I did to deserve her, but she truly is an angel. _He sighed as he tugged the hand out of her grip and then ran his gloved fingers through her long hair. "But then I couldn't do this or all your hair would get stuck in the joints. And it's cold and hard. You should only be touched by gentle things."

Padmè leaned forward and hugged him, pressing her cheek to that spot that seemed made just for her between his pec and his collar bone. "Oh, Ani. You're so sweet. The galaxy would die of shock if they knew that their fearless hero was just a big teddy bear at heart," she teased, looking up at him with twinkling eyes as she propped her chin on his hard pectoral muscle. "Albeit not a very cuddly one," she added as an afterthought.

Anakin grabbed her narrow waist and pulled her higher up his body so their heads were equal. He mock glared into her pretty, dark amber eyes. "Hey! I'm cuddly. I love to cuddle you." He didn't mind when Ahsoka curled into his side either, when they were sitting together. He couldn't say he'd ever cuddled with Obi-Wan, but they'd definitely done some huddling for warmth in the past, and affectionate one-armed man hugs were quite common.

Padmè grinned as she wriggled her naked seat on the washboard muscles of his stomach. His blue eyes nearly turned black in response, which made her core clench. "I was talking about how hard your body is."

A slow smile spread across his face as he felt her hot core get even hotter and her arousal echoed through their bond, which made him even harder. _I think she likes my abs. but…_ "I can get fat if you want. Then I'll be properly cuddly in all the ways that count."

She giggled as an image of a rotund Anakin waddling around the battlefields popped into her mind with scores of battle droids dropping dead from laughter as he sliced off their heads while they were distracted by making fun of his chubby form. "You know, I think that could work for you. Everyone would underestimate your prowess."

He chuckled at the image in her mind that she dropped her natural shields to let him see. "I think I'll pass. Something tells me you like my body the way it is." This statement was supported by the fact that she was now tracing patterns over his chest with a finger, and if he wasn't mistaken, she'd just written 'mine'. He really liked that thought. _I wish I could tell the galaxy that I belong to her._

_One day. One day I will. Maybe when the war is over and the Republic won't mind the loss of their favourite Jedi slave so much._

Padmè shrugged slightly, a teasing light in her eyes. "It has its advantages." Sliding back so she rested over the significant bulge in his trousers again, she pressed a kiss to one of his little nipples before licking it and then breathing on it. And poof, just like that, it was standing in a tiny point. She treated his other nipple to the same, happy with her work as he shivered in delight. "I do love looking at you, for example. I also love how strong you are and how you make me feel like I weigh absolutely nothing."

Anakin demonstrated his strength by picking her up by the waist and holding her high above him with straight arms. "That's because you do weigh nothing, my tiny wife. My clothes and armour weigh more than you."

Even as she thrilled at his demonstration, and clenched her muscles to hold a plank form, Padmè snorted at that ridiculous exaggeration, since he didn't actually wear all that much armour. Not like the clones who were covered in it. _I wish he would, though. On the other hand, he could cover himself in beskar from head to toe like a Mandalorian, and I'd probably still worry. _

A flash of white beside him caught his eye, making him realize he didn't want an audience, even if the kitten wouldn't understand what it might see. He placed Padmè on her back on the other side of him and pressed a quick kiss to her smiling mouth. "Don't move."

"Yes, Master," she said with a giggle and a roll of the eyes. She watched with an indulgent smile as he scooped the kitten up off the bed, kissed its head, and then strode out of the room, his voice calling for Threepio. He returned a minute later, shut the door with enthusiasm, shucked his trousers and undershorts, tossed them on his chair, and then dived across the room. He landed in a crouch, poised over her. Padmè's breath caught in arousal at the sexy move.

Anakin smiled like a tooka who'd just caught its prey at the look in her eyes. "Now, my angel, the kitten is being pampered by Threepio and we have this massive bed all to ourselves. What shall we do with it?"

She skated her hands down his back as she ran her toe up the back of his calf and twined her other leg around his, pulling him down a bit. "I haven't the foggiest idea, darling. You'll have to come up with something all on your own." Padmè was particularly proud of how blasé she sounded.

Anakin grinned as he lowered himself further so their bodies were lightly pressed together from the chest down and kissed her very slowly and very thoroughly. Eventually coming up for air, he admired her kiss swollen lips as he husked out, "I think I can come up with a few ideas."

He proceeded to demonstrate said ideas by worshipping every centimetre of her skin with his mouth and hands from her forehead down, both front and back.

By the time he actually pressed into her some eternity of over-stimulated bliss later, Padmè was already hanging on the edge of her third climax of the day. Having his wonderfully large cock bury itself in her to the hilt shoved her over and she came on a strangled scream into his kiss.

She looked up at his fiercely concentrating face when she was able to open her eyes again and held on to him for dear life with arms and legs as he thrust into her over and over again, slowly but surely going harder and faster. His stamina was phenomenal and he was demonstrating it as he loved her for what felt like hours.

Which was all well and good, but there was only so much stimulation her body could take, and after she'd come twice more, Padmè felt like a well pounded puddle of limp flesh.

She dug her nails into his sweaty back as it was all starting to feel like just that little bit too much. "Stars, Anakin. Come already," she panted.

His eyes met hers as gripped her hips and thrust into her harder yet. "Not until you give me one more, my love." He was rather addicted to the feeling of her channel rhythmically squeezing bliss into his cock. And every time she came, her Force signature lit up like a star, filling him with pride that he could do that for her.

"Forrrrccccceee," she moaned, closing her eyes in capitulation and let herself get lost in the sensations again. His mouth latched onto her breast and his long fingered hand spread over her stomach, thumb finding her clit and rubbing it just right. Padmè gasped and whimpered and moaned with each perfectly aimed thrust that sent her higher and higher. She clenched her tired limbs around him as her body gave in to the stimulation and she came again, unbelievably stronger than ever. "Aaaaaannnnniiiiii!"

Anakin happily drowned himself in her radiating pleasure and let it trigger his long suppressed release, coming deep inside her in long spurts. "Meeeeyyyy," he groaned into her perfect bosom, essentially curled over her in protection and supplication as she went limp in his arms. "Love you, Mey." They really did own each other; heart, body, and soul.

After he finally caught his breath, he rolled onto his back, taking her with him, and wrapped his arms around her small form. His chin rested on top of her silky head as they breathed together in the aftermath.

Padmè listened to the comforting thump of his heart as it gradually returned to a resting rhythm. She held him in return with her arms wrapped around his shoulders; the after-loving cuddles one of her favourite things to do. "I wish every day was like this," she said quietly, playing with a lock of his hair that she could never resist touching.

Anakin sighed under her ear, raising her up with his deep inhalation. "So do I. And one day, hopefully sooner than later, it will be. Once this war is done, we can move to Naboo and start that family we've always wanted. I might even get fat," he ended on a teasing note.

Padmè laughed wistfully, gently tugging on his hair. "I'll take you however I can get you, but somehow I doubt you'll ever get fat. You have way too much energy to ever succumb to such an affliction."

Anakin grinned as he kissed the top of her head. "Too true. For example, I could love you all over again right now if I had the time." He huffed mournfully at the injustice of it all. "What time is it anyway?"

Padmè focused on the alarm chronometer on the nightstand. "5:40."

"Osik!" Anakin gasped out one of the clones' favourite Mando'a curse words, and she found herself rolled off of him as he flung himself off the bed and started throwing on his clothes in record time. "Kriffing hell. I'm supposed to pick up Ahsoka in ten minutes!"

Padmè laughed and propped her head up with a fist and watched him dress, which was always a pleasant show. _But undressing is better. _"Always late. I think it's your curse."

Anakin rolled his eyes at her as he pulled on the matching brand new glove. Holding the box that now contained the old gloves in a hand, he bounded towards the door, changed his mind, bounded back, tipped her chin up with a finger and kissed her fast and deep for half a minute. Meeting her eyes after, he said, "I wish I could stay forever. Comm me when your party is done, and I'll come back and help clean up."

Then with a light smack on her hip, he took off again, calling, "Love you, Mey!" as he rushed out the door.

Padmè smiled sadly as she felt abandoned yet again. She hugged a pillow to her chest and pulled the corner of the blanket over herself to capture some of his leftover warmth. "I love you too, Ani," she said to the air.


	3. Ahsoka Claims Rex

**A/N: Wow. I can't believe I wrote this chapter a year ago as a one shot for Christmas. It doesn't seem like that long ago. But my writing style sure changed over the course of that year, lol. I just spent 3 days noodling with this chapter so it's now in my current writing style and hopefully mistake free. In the process, I somehow managed to add about 4000 more words. WTF? I hope you all enjoy this new version as much as I do. **

**I've also rewritten chapter 1, adding about 1700 words to it, so please give that a reread too, if you like. I will also be reworking chapters 3 & 4 so you might want to wait to read those. (Not too much to do with 4, thank Force, since it's already written in my current style.) I have a hopefully not too ambitious goal of actually FINISHING this story before New Years at the latest. (Christmas if I can pull it off.) It will be 5 very long chapters in total and I think you'll like the Grand Finale I have in mind for this 'little' story. **

* * *

**Ahsoka Claims Rex:**

Unlike the streets of upper Coruscant, which were full of noise and cheer as people celebrated Life Day, the halls of the Republic Military Base were quiet and nearly empty.

Ahsoka walked down the hushed hallways with a bounce in her step, despite the many packages she was carrying, because she was going to see Rex. Just the thought of finagling some alone time with him was enough to send her blood thumping through her veins quite a bit faster than normal.

She'd just left the Temple where she, her Masters, and some of their closest Jedi friends (which ended up being more like a hundred of them as word spread that the Skywalker party was THE place to be) had just had a (relatively) civilized party and exchanged gifts. Anakin had dropped her off on his way to Padmè's apartment where she was sure they were going to have their own private party that involved a lot of things the Jedi Council would probably faint over if they knew.

_Good thing they don't, _she thought with a smirk. Frankly, she wasn't even sure if Obi-Wan knew about her Master's affair (committed relationship?) with the Senator, not being brave enough to ask him, since she didn't want to get Anakin in trouble if he didn't.

Technically, Ahsoka didn't know about it either, but the bond she had with Anakin had allowed her a few inadvertent glimpses into his feelings whenever Padmè was around. Between those, and the times she'd caught them embracing or holding hands when they thought no one was looking, it hadn't been hard to figure out.

Even though she knew it was against the code, Ahsoka fully supported her Master's relationship (of whatever kind it was), because the only times Anakin ever seemed truly happy was when he was near Padmè. The longer he was apart from her, the further he fell into a miserable slump that Ahsoka was worried was leading towards the Dark side. She'd seen enough little things in him that supported that theory, and knew that even Master Kenobi had noticed Anakin's increasingly bad temper as the war dragged on and they were sent away for longer and longer periods of time.

Add in the fact that he was The Chosen One and more naturally powerful in the Force than any other living Jedi, and you had a recipe for disaster. Ahsoka had no desire to see what he'd become if he fell.

Something needed to keep him sane, and if it was an illicit relationship, so be it. Which is why, when he begged her to lie for him about where he was on a regular basis, she was happy to do it. She never even asked him where he was going because she didn't want to hear whatever pathetic excuse he'd come up with. (Once was enough.)

Not to mention the tiny little fact that she had her own illicit relationship going on, even if it was painfully one-sided.

_For now. _

Today, as far as anyone at the Temple was concerned, she and Anakin were still together, bringing presents to the 501st and hanging out with their men for the afternoon. And the men? Well… Let's just say that Anakin's love affair with a beautiful Senator and ex Queen five years older than him was the best kept secret in the Republic army. Because the men of the 501st loved their General like a brother. And brothers looked out for each other. They also thought Anakin was a very lucky mooka for landing such a beautiful catch. (But generally spoken of in awed tones with cruder words than that.) (She had REALLY good hearing.)

Following the Force bond she had with Rex that he didn't know about, Ahsoka found the 501st in the massive training gym. Training, of course.

"Rex!" she called to the Captain of the battalion of clones as she spotted him, mentally drooling at the sight of him. _Force help me, I want to jump on him so bad._

He looked up at her call from where he was lifting weights in just a black undershirt and bodysuit leggings that hugged his thick muscles like a second skin. As she approached, he plunked the bar into its holder on either side of his head before sitting up and straddling the bench. A smile crossed his handsome face, a bead of sweat dripped down his forehead, and more hard-earned moisture made his dyed, super short, white blond hair shimmer in the lights. _Do you think anyone would notice if I licked him from head to toe?_

"Commander! What can I help you with?" her unclaimed mate called genially.

_You could start by taking off your shirt._

Every man turned to watch her with curious eyes as they stopped whatever they were doing and saluted smartly with smiles and greetings of many different versions of, 'Hi, Commander Tano.'

Ahsoka gave them all a big smile and then raised a brow marking at Rex as she peered around her towering stack of parcels. "You guys do know it's Life Day, right? The entire galaxy is taking the day off and having fun and you're still in here, training."

The clone Captain that made her insides dance with butterflies on a regular basis just shrugged and grabbed a towel and swiped half-heartedly at some of the delicious sweat coating him. _Really. I could lick that off for you, babe. I wouldn't mind. _

"Clones don't get holidays," he said matter-of-factly. "You know that, Commander."

_I wish I didn't. _Ahsoka huffed a sigh and shifted the massive box in her arms a little, inspiring Rex to jump up to his feet and grab it from her. "Thanks." She smiled at him gratefully, receiving a bigger smile from him in return that made her want to sigh like a groupie. (Thanks to the holonet, Anakin actually had more than his fair share of those, so she knew what she was talking about.) "I still think the lack of holidays for you guys is just all kinds of wrong."

He shrugged again as he made the big box in his arms look decidedly smaller than she had. "We're property. Breathing droids, basically. You know they'll never see us as anything other than that."

Ahsoka wanted to hug them all as the mood in the room took a dive towards morose resignation. "Well, I see you as people," she said firmly. "And so does Anakin and Obi-Wan and many of the other Jedi. You will always be people to us."

Rex wanted to kiss her just for that alone, but he would have happily done it for any excuse if he could have gotten away with it without getting himself sent back to Kamino for permanent 'decommissioning'. He settled for smiling gratefully along with his brothers and spoke for them all. "Thank you, Commander. We really appreciate that."

"Maybe the Senate will wake up and smell the caf one day," she said hopefully, which made the dozens of men who had gathered around her laugh at that little bit of extreme wishful thinking.

Winking at Rex, she then put on her most serious face as she gazed down at the many colourful bags hanging off her arms. "Now, I seem to have bought more candy than I could ever possibly eat on my own. What in the galaxy am I going to do with it?" The men inched closer, their eyes lighting up as they sensed a rare treat coming their way. She frowned thoughtfully, shaking the bags as she pretended to think. "I know!"

Ahsoka looked up and caught Rex's grateful eyes before she swept her laughing gaze over the men who were still inching closer but hadn't made a single peep of noise. The anticipation in the air and the expressions of hope on their faces made it all worth it. "Just like last year, as your commanding officer, I hereby order you to not do anything strenuous for the rest of the day. I also order you to go back to your barracks with these treats and eat them till you feel sick, and watch holomovies until you can't keep your eyes open anymore."

That prompted a massive whoop from the battalion of nearly identical men that Ahsoka nevertheless knew the names and Force signature of each and every one of them, never having any trouble telling them apart. She handed all but one of the bags of candy to Fives, who'd conveniently placed himself right beside her. "Make sure you distribute those fairly. And take the box too. It has enough mini cakes of various flavours for all of you."

There were more whoops and cheers and the box was snatched from Rex in half a second by Tup. She smiled indulgently as the happy clones filed out of the gym in a rowdy but somewhat orderly fashion, none verbally questioning the fact that their Captain didn't join them. If any of them thought about it, they would simply assume that he was having a meeting about something or other with their Commander, since that was a common enough occurrence.

While Ahsoka watched the men leave, he took the opportunity to openly ogle her form. With today being a holiday, she'd dressed herself in a flowy royal blue top embellished with white scrollwork on the hems and black slacks tucked into knee-high white boots. Even her belt was devoid of its usual accoutrements with the exception of her lightsabres hanging off either side of her hips. The long sleeved blouse left most of her shoulders and upper chest bare, drawing attention to the diamond shaped choker around her slender neck that Anakin had given her for her fifteenth birthday. It also showcased her delicate collar bones and just a hint of the upper swells of her breasts.

She looked kriffing amazing.

She looked like royalty.

He'd never felt less worthy of her.

Despite that, he couldn't help but notice that she was wearing his colours. _Probably just a coincidence. But I can pretend it was on purpose. _

For a few precious seconds he allowed his face to show the utter devotion he felt for the little Togruta Jedi before he disciplined it back into the generic smile he showed to the world. When she turned back around and gave him her thousand watt smile, his heart tripped in his chest and his mask slipped away temporarily as he stared down into her beautiful sky blue eyes. Eyes that haunted his dreams. Eyes that shone with an emotion he didn't dare let himself name. An emotion he couldn't allow himself to return.

Ahsoka stared back at him, her smile freezing as something she'd never seen on Rex's face before stopped her heart. For a moment, just a moment, she could have sworn she saw love in his eyes.

But then it was gone, replaced with the friendly, happy-go-lucky expression he normally wore. She gave herself a mental slap and pasted her own expression of carefree joviality back on. _I just imagined it. It was only wishful thinking. He still thinks of me as a kid. He called me 'kid' last week, remember?_

_I wish he didn't have such naturally strong shields so I could find out what he really felt right now. _

Despite being Force bound to him, she'd never been able to read his emotions or his thoughts unless he broadcast them, which he fortunately did on the occasions when he was really worried about her. (Almost all of the clones had similarly strong shields, so she assumed it was a genetic thing. She and her Masters had had discussions about whether Jango Fett had been picked on purpose because of his natural resistance to mind control and what the reasoning behind the choice might be.)

Her bond allowed her to sense Rex's presence, though. And she could always tell when he was injured and hiding it, which was more than Anakin could do, so that was something. When she'd first sensed it, she'd questioned whether it was a real Force bond or just wishful thinking, but the incident with the Blue Shadow virus had proven to her that they were definitely connected; he wouldn't have survived otherwise. None of the other clones who'd been infected at the same time had. But they didn't have a connection with a Jedi who could push Force energy down their bond to make sure her beloved Rex had the strength to keep fighting.

That was also the first time he'd broadcast how much he cared about her, too ill to hide his thoughts properly.

Realizing that she'd been staring at him for way longer than was polite, Ahsoka finally remembered the last gift bag dangling from her fingers. With a hidden blush (thanks to her orange skin), she thrust the metallic blue bag at Rex. "For you, Rexi."

She wished she could have gotten him something more meaningful, but clones weren't allowed personal possessions other than their kit, which technically belonged to the Republic as well, just to add insult to the clones' already deprived lifestyle. The best she could get away with was to buy him his favourite candy. (Which he would never even know existed if she hadn't given him some in the first place.)

Rex opened the bag and gawked at the 5kg bag of yogan flavoured licorice sticks. "Wow, Ahsoka," he said in awe, dropping formality now that the other men were gone. (The only concession he allowed himself regarding his feelings for her.) "That's a lot of licorice. Thank you."

Ahsoka blushed a little more, enough so that the white markings on her cheeks actually turned slightly pink if you looked close enough (which Rex was doing), meeting his warm dark gold eyes bravely and letting all of her admiration for the man show on her face. "You're welcome, Rex. You work harder than all of us. You deserve a treat."

Now Rex flushed in embarrassment and turned away, putting the bag of candy down on the workout bench behind him. "Just doing what I've been bred to do," he mumbled, fiddling with the festive silver ribbon on the handle of the bag, uncomfortable with her praise and attention.

Ahsoka poked him in the ribs to get his attention back.

He nearly jumped out of his skin. The dutiful clone reluctantly left the bag alone and met her eyes again, determinedly shoving every wayward emotion back behind the huge durasteel wall in his mind.

"You're more than just a bred soldier, Rex. You're an incredibly intelligent being who should be treated like one, not a stupid battle droid to be tucked away between uses."

Rex looked down at her indignant face and couldn't help but fall just that little bit more in love with her because of her fierce defence of him. At the same time he wondered when she'd grown up so much from the tiny toothpick of a thing he'd met almost two years ago. She was taller, more filled out, her montrals and lekku longer, and disturbingly curvy in all the right places. He, Cody, and some of his brothers who'd been with the 501st and the 212th long enough, like Fives and Peel, were having to put the threat of death into the new shinys who had only met her recently, thinking she was much too attractive to keep their mouths shut about it.

They weren't wrong.

But Ahsoka Tano was no sex symbol to hang up on the wall and jack off to at night. She was their Commander. Their friend. Hell. Even the sister they never knew they wanted, for most of them.

But not for Rex.

Never for Rex. She was the most precious thing in the galaxy to him. He'd lay down his life for her in an instant. Even before saving the General's, which was against protocol.

Rex was desperately, hopelessly, and very foolishly in love with her.

_And I'll never stop being so. _He clenched his fists to prevent himself from touching her cheek like his fingers were itching to do and forced his face to smile placidly. "Thank you for thinking so, little one, but we both know that public opinion will never change. I've learned to live with it and so should you."

Seeing the hurt hiding in his eyes under the resignation, she couldn't help the automatic reaction that came with her ingrained affectionate nature.

Ahsoka threw her arms around his waist and hugged him tight.

"You'll never be just a soldier to me, Rexi," she said into his slightly damp undershirt, pressing her cheek into the hard muscle of his pectoral. "You're my best friend." _My best friend who's built like a rock and smells kriffing fantastic. I want to climb you like a tree and kiss you till the galaxy pulls its head out of its ass. How's that sound? _

She hugged him tighter, since that was the only thing she could get away with.

Rex stared down at the top of her pointy montrals in astonishment at her show of affection for all of two seconds before his arms closed around her slender back without his permission. Somehow, her back lek found its way over one of his bare forearms and he thrilled at the skin to skin contact.

At the same time, he used every ounce of his considerable self control to ignore how good her soft breasts felt pressed against his abs while convincing Little Rex to STAY the frag DOWN. With the way she was pressed against him, there was no way she wouldn't notice if he got excited. _Why couldn't I be wearing my armour on the day she decides to hug me? Or at the very least that she be wearing her usual armorweave reinforced fighting clothes? Not that those aren't sexy as hell too, but at least I wouldn't be able to feel the shape of her breasts so much and I'd have a little more leeway in the Little Rex department. _

To help distract himself, he concentrated on her last sentence. "I thought the General was your best friend," he said, determinedly moving his eyes off of her curvy backside and up to the far wall while counting backwards from one hundred at the same time. In Mando'a.

He switched to Huttese when that was too easy.

Ahsoka snorted into his chest and looked up. "Anakin is my Master, a massive pain in my shebs, as you would say, and my beloved big brother." She reached up and tilted his face down to make him look at her by grabbing his chiselled jaw gently. "None of those things are 'best friend'."

His brain stuttered to a stop and the backwards counting became nonexistent at the touch of her hand.

Rex's heart was literally pounding in his chest at the proximity of her curvy little body, her fingers on his face, and the sweet look in her beautiful blue eyes. "I hadn't realized." He smiled, daring to raise a hand and touch her soft cheek with the back of a couple of fingers, since she had touched him first. "Aside from Cody, who is my best brother, you're my best friend too," he admitted.

Then he looked away and removed his hand, knowing he would remember the sensation of touching her satin skin for whatever life he had left, since he'd already defied death more often than he care to think about. It was guaranteed that some lucky droid was bound to get him sooner or later. His short life expectancy had reality crashing back into him. "But you shouldn't be; you're my Commander." He stepped back from her hug, having to gently pull her arms off of him to do it. He was careful not to touch her hands as he did so because he'd end up hanging on to them if he did. "And we most definitely can't hug like this. You're a Jedi and I'm a Clone. We would both be in so much trouble if anyone saw us."

Ahsoka planted her hands on her hips and raised a brow marking at him. "Since when have either of us been one to follow the rules?"

Rex snorted, crossing his arms over his chest to hold back the urge to touch her again, highlighting the steely muscles and veins in them, much to Ahsoka's enjoyment. "True. The General has been a TERRIBLE influence on us, hasn't he?"

"Much to Obi-Wan's and Cody's dismay." Ahsoka giggled, copying his stance, which squished her breasts together and raised a few more centimetres of soft flesh above the low neckline of the blouse. Rex damn near died.

Her expression turned mischievous, inspiring a mental, _Uh oh, _from the poor, stressed, over-worked, and never-paid clone_. Nothing good ever happens when she or Anakin wear that look. _

"If I want to hug you, Rexi, then I most definitely will. And I say you haven't had enough Life Day hugs yet." _Surely no one would blame me for wanting to press myself against him again in one of the few opportunities to get away with a hug that doesn't include him being covered in armour? And if they do, well, kriff them. I'm hugging my mate._

Ahsoka's eyes glinted as she took a stalking step towards him and he backed up out sheer self preservation. He'd barely survived their last hug without giving himself away. There was no way he was letting her hug him again.

"Where you going, Rexi?" she said in a warning tone full of amusement. "Don't you want another hug?"

Rex shook his head quickly as he backed up faster, deftly avoiding the workout equipment by memory more than anything else. His hormones were screaming, _Wrong way! Stop moving, di'kut! We want hugs! Hugs! Hugs! Hugs!_

Fortunately for his peace of mind and his life expectancy, he had yet to be ruled by his hormones. Because if he had, and they didn't ship him off to Kamino fast enough upon discovering his transgression, he would most likely be unmanned, disemboweled, and then beheaded by a rampaging Skywalker for touching his precious Padawan. (The last idiot who'd just wolf-whistled at her while they were strolling through the backstreets of Iziz had been thrown against a wall and nearly choked to death while Anakin growled at them to learn some manners.)

Ahsoka's pace increased as Rex backed up faster, giggles escaping her as she decided that this was great game. "I'm gonna hug you again, whether you like it or not," she called out tauntingly.

Now, Rex would never allow anyone to call him a coward, but in this one instance, he was going to admit to cowardicy. Rex turned tail and flat out ran across the gym, leaving the workout equipment behind and heading for the open space of the sparring mats and the men's refresher beyond it. _Surely she wouldn't dare follow me in there._

Ahsoka was full on laughing now as she gave chase. Her predator instincts came to the fore as well, courtesy of her carnivorous ancestors. She darted after Rex and made a flying tackle at him from behind, sending them crashing down onto one of the training mats. "Got ya!" she whooped as she wrapped her arms and legs around his back and clung like a leech. She giggled with fiendish glee as her 'prey' did his absolute best to shake her off without hurting her.

After a minute, Rex came to a stop on his hands and knees on the mat, sucking in air as he started to chuckle too, realizing he wasn't going to win this one; not without using actual force, and he could never bring himself to hurt her. _Shabla. Thank frag the boys can't see me right now. I've been defeated by a girl who might weigh forty-five kilos soaking wet. _

Ahsoka relaxed her hold on his chest but didn't let go as she propped her chin on his shoulder. "See, I told you you needed more hugs. You don't laugh anywhere near enough, Rexi."

Rex turned his head and met her sparkling blue eyes, a grin playing with his lips, and their faces only millimetres apart. "I'm laughing because you're riding me like a wild blurrg, my little Soka. I don't think this qualifies as a hug."

Ahsoka's breath caught at the way he'd called her his without realizing it and her eyes softened. She snuggled herself against his back and tightened her arms against his hard chest again slightly. "I beg to differ, my Captain Rex. I am most definitely hugging you," she retaliated in a husky murmur that made him visibly gulp as his pupils dilated fractionally. Ahsoka noticed. _He DOES want me! Thank kriff! _Ahsoka closed her eyes in contentment as she breathed in his heady, musky scent, thanking the stars that her attraction wasn't one sided. _I'd happily hug him for the rest of our lives, if he'd let me._

And just like that, her first mating cycle kicked in.

The average togruta female will start her monthly mating cycle sometime after they turn eighteen. But if they find their one true mate before that, it wasn't unheard of for it to start early. Ahsoka had found her mate two years ago, and apparently her body had just decided that it had waited long enough.

A sudden wave of extreme heat swept through her, making her stiffen in surprise, and then her core clenched in almost painful, intense need. Ahsoka's eyes popped back open, the blue nearly gone as her pupils dilated with lust, and stared into Rex's now concerned ones, since he'd felt her stiffen.

"What is it? Did you get a vision?" Rex said, reaching backwards to help her off his back.

Ahsoka swatted at the proffered hand and growled in her throat, not wanting to part from him. His eyes widened in alarm and her hormones ratcheted up another notch. "No, not that." she said curtly.

At least not recently. But she'd had a very clear one about him once and it came back every so often. She'd never told anyone about the vision she'd had the night she'd first met him of her and Rex and their two adorable children playing on a beach, knowing that it meant she would probably leave the Order one day to make the vision reality.

Aside from promising visions of the future, she'd thought she'd have a couple more years yet before her current predicament would become an issue. _Looks like I'm going to have to borrow a page from Anakin's book and lie my ass off to all and sundry about where I am on a fairly regular basis. _

_Oh well._

_At least I can finally kiss my mate. _

_And the good news is that Rex usually goes wherever I go, unlike Padmè._

_Poor Anakin._

_Why are we thinking about Anakin?_ her hormones screeched. _I want kissing! Our mate's lips are right there! _

_Agreed, but not here, _her last sane brain cell said back reasonably. _Anyone could walk in on you out here and there are security cameras everywhere. Find someplace more private!_

_Fine, _her hormones snarled back.

Ahsoka reluctantly peeled herself from Rex's back and pulled him up to his feet by his hand which she hung on to for dear life as her body felt like it was going to combust. "Come on, Rex. You're all sweaty. I think a shower is in order."

Bemused by Ahsoka's weird behaviour, Rex followed her obediently for a couple of steps while she led him towards the refresher door.

And then he finally clued in to what she had actually said and exactly where she was leading him.

Rex gaped at Ahsoka like she'd lost her mind, because as far as he was concerned, she had. Then he started dragging his feet and trying to tug his wrist out of her grip. But she was holding onto him like her fingers were suddenly made of durasteel and she flat out dragged him until he reluctantly moved his legs again so he didn't end up being pulled face first across the floor. _Frag, she's stronger than she looks. _"Are you bonkers? What are you doing?" he grunted as she tugged on him even harder. A sense of impending doom struck him as she opened the door with a flick of her free hand before they'd even gotten there. _Manda help me. I have a bad feeling about this._

He was still trying to tug his hand out of the grip she had on his wrist as they 'walked' into the large refresher room designed for dozens of men to use at once.

Ahsoka locked the door with the Force and pulled Rex to the furthest shower stall, just in case, because she hadn't completely lost her faculties. (That single brain cell was still functioning.) "I'm not bonkers, Rex," she said firmly as she opened the stall door and pushed him in, making his back slam against the far wall with her overenthusiastic shove. "I'm HOT." _And hornier than a bull nerf at breeding season. _She stepped in and closed the door behind her, trapping them together in a space meant for one.

_I'm stuck in a shower with the girl of my dreams. _

_Who's stripping._

_Oh frag._

_This is so wrong._

_And so very, very right. _

_I think death might be worth this._

Rex watched in shocked wonder as her blouse was sent flying over the dividing wall and into the next shower over in what he assumed was an effort to keep her clothes dry. Her belt and boots had already been tossed over. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the glistening orange skin she was revealing, no matter how much he told himself this was WRONG.

He gulped as her white lace bra came off next and her breasts were revealed, tipped with white nipples and looking absolutely perfect to him. _Just right to fit in my hands._ "Shabla," he whispered in awe before mentally slapping himself for ogling, even though there wasn't a man in the galaxy who would blame him for doing so. "What are you doing?" he asked again.

"I'm stripping," she said with a roll of her eyes as she hopped on one foot and pulled off a sock, then tossed it over the wall. "What does it look like? We're taking a shower, Rex. That's usually done without clothes." She nodded her chin at him. "You might want to remove yours too, before I come over there and rip them off you."

Rex's eyes widened impossibly further at her threat and his dick jumped in his pants, seriously liking the idea. Sweat beaded on his brow as she pushed her slacks down and kicked them off her feet. _Stars, look at those perfect long legs. _His arousal increased exponentially, his breaths panting. Somehow, he found the strength to say, "Ummmmmm. Ahsoka. I don't know what's gotten into you, but we CAN'T do this. I can't do this."

Ahsoka froze with her hands on the waistband of her matching panties at the desperation and fear in his voice. "What's wrong, Rex?" _Oh, Force. He doesn't want me. I read him all wrong._ Sorrow filled her as she asked, just to confirm, "Don't you want me?"

One look at the misery on her face and Rex broke. He shook his head quickly in denial. "No! No. That's not it. Of course I want you." He glanced down at the incredibly obvious tent in his tight leggings with chagrin. "As if I could hide that." _Why the frag couldn't I have been in armour when we had this conversation?_

Ahsoka followed his line of sight and blinked repeatedly. _Oh, wow. The clones weren't kidding when they said they'd been made genetically perfect._

"I do want you, Ahsoka. More than you know. I love you," he whispered in an agonized voice, the words torn from him because he couldn't bear to hurt her feelings any further. Ahsoka's eyes whipped back up to study his face in dawning joy, which his heart mirrored. "But you're too young, and my Commander, and..."

Ahsoka lunged forward and covered his mouth with her hand before he could list anything else stupid. "First of all, I'll be sixteen in less than two weeks, which is close enough to the age of consent for me. Second, you're three kriffing years YOUNGER than me, adult body or not, so don't give me that bantha poodoo as an excuse. Third, I just went into my first mating heat, and I NEED to have sex with someone NOW and I would prefer it would be you. Because, last, but certainly not least, I love you too, Rex. With everything I have. Since the first day I met you." She conveniently left out the small detail that she could get a sedative shot to control the heat cycle, which would put her somewhere near normal again, since she desperately wanted this to happen.

Rex stared down into her nearly black eyes, felt the almost extreme heat she was radiating, the trembling in her body that she had pressed up against his, and groaned in capitulation. _There is nothing in the galaxy that I could deny this girl. I've already given her my heart and soul. If she wants my body too, then so be it. _He gently grasped her little hand in his much bigger one and pressed a kiss to the palm before he placed her hand on his shoulder. "Okay, Soka. Okay."

Ahsoka almost collapsed in a puddle of relief. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his strong neck and stretched up on her toes.

As she gave him a look begging him to meet her halfway, he decided to do her one better. He wrapped his arms around her back and picked her up so they were at eye level. Then Rex pressed his mouth to hers ever so gently in his first kiss, never having the desire to be intimate with anyone else before her.

Ahsoka tightened her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist to cling to him as closely as possible as they exchanged soft little kisses that slowly became bolder and more passionate as they grew more confident in their kissing skills. _This is soooooooo much better than that sloppy kiss Lux 'gave' me. _

Soon enough, Rex dared to lick her lower lip and she opened on a gasp, allowing him entrance to the sweet depths of her mouth.

Tongues duelled and moans escaped as hands started to roam over sweaty bodies, exploring planes and hollows and skin that felt wonderfully smooth to the touch except where battle scars gave them each more character.

Gasping for air, Rex pulled his head back and stared at Ahsoka in amazement. "Kriff, that's even better than I dreamed it would be," he said as one hand reached up to stroke over a front lek, curious to see how the skin felt on the white and blue stripped headtail. It was even softer than her other skin and trembled minutely under his fingers. The end curled up and rubbed against his wrist in return as Ahsoka's eyes closed and her head tilted towards his hand, an expression of bliss crossing her face.

Rex froze in surprise, having never seen her lekku move on purpose before. His cock hardened impossibly further in his leggings at how incredibly sexy it was that she could touch him back with them. _No wonder Twi'leks and Togrutans are so often captured as sex slaves._ Just imagining what she could do with her lekku was practically giving him a heart attack.

Ahsoka opened her eyes after a moment. "You dreamed of us, Rexi?"

He nodded, still too stunned to speak, but managed to command his fingers to move again, exploring the blue stripes in agonizing detail as she rubbed her lek against him in return.

"I dreamed about us too," she said softly as she gave his hard jaw a loving caress. Then she smiled and dropped her feet back down to the tiled floor and took one step back for space. Ahsoka quickly stepped out of her panties and tossed them over the wall with her other clothes and accessories, and then reached for the center of his shirt and tore it in half with a jerk of her hands, then pulled the pieces off his shoulders and tossed the rags over the wall as well.

Rex gawked at her, mouth literally hanging on a loose jaw. _She actually tore my shirt off. Holy osik! I am so turned on right now it hurts. _

And then his eyes landed on the last bit of bare flesh she'd exposed and any remnants of sanity he still clung to went flying out the airlock.

"And in my dreams, my dear, sweet, Rexi, you weren't wearing any clothes," Ahsoka continued, oblivious to Rex's mental problems as she paused to admire his ripped chest and abdominal muscles, honed by years of training and battle. She licked her lips in anticipation of kissing every millimetre of his skin. "Force, you're beautiful," she murmured, running hot little hands down his bare skin.

As Ahsoka reached for his bodysuit leggings, Rex found enough self preservation within himself to stop gawking at the white diamond that marked the path to paradise between her legs and caught her hands just in time to stop her from ripping those off of him as well. "Whoa!" he chuckled. "I need those to get back to the barracks." Walking through the base shirtless was one thing, if somewhat unusual, but in just his undershorts was just not done.

Ahsoka stepped back and crossed her arms over her chest, raising her breasts up and making a deep cleavage that he suddenly got some very naughty ideas about. "Fine," she huffed in fake annoyance. "Ruin some of my fun."

He quickly shucked his leggings and undershorts down to his ankles in one swift move and Ahsoka quickly forgot about her pouting act. His manhood was freaking huge and sprang out of its confinement with a near mind of its own, looking like it was exalting in being free. And... pointing right at her like it knew what it wanted.

She gulped, wondering if she'd maybe jumped the blaster a little too soon. But her body knew what it wanted too, and her core clenched again as liquid heat dripped onto her thighs. Ahsoka panted in near desperation as her body temperature soared up another notch. She clenched her hands around her breasts to try to satisfy the desire barrelling through her like a ship in hyperspace.

It didn't help.

"Hurry the frag up, Rex," she gasped.

Their eyes locked again as Rex straightened up from unlacing his boots. Without taking his eyes from her (because he physically couldn't with her kneading her breasts like that), he toed his boots off and stepped out of his clothes with a lightning fast move, kicking everything to the corner of the shower stall where it hopefully wouldn't get too wet whenever they did get around to turning on the shower. (He didn't feel like taking the time to throw them over the wall.) He had a feeling said shower wouldn't be turned on for a while anyway. And maybe he'd find the willpower to move his clothes later. Maybe.

Not that he needed the encouragement or extra stimulation with her beautiful, lithe body on display like that, but Ahsoka's scent was now swirling around the close confines of the shower and Rex was pretty sure he'd never smelt anything better. It was citrus and candy, musk and rain, all at once. His already pounding heart picked up the pace and his muscles practically solidified as NEED coursed through him. Whatever pheromones she was giving off were apparently catching, because he now felt like he would explode if he didn't get inside her in the next few seconds.

"Shabla," he muttered, barely clinging to his control.

"Rex," she whined at the same time.

She leapt at him.

He caught her, spun, and pressed her against the wall with almost all of his weight as their mouths fused wildly. She wriggled in desperation until she felt the head of his throbbing cock press against her core.

They both froze again as they stared into each other's eyes. "You're sure?" Rex whispered.

Ahsoka panted and nodded, plush lips looking even more swollen from their rough kisses. "Love me, Rex"

He nodded once in return, pressed his mouth back to hers, held her by the curve of her hips in strong hands, and then pressed his knob into her wondrously tight, wet, heat. "Still good?" he choked out. She looked at him with blue eyes bigger than he'd ever seen, nodded once and clenched her arms around his neck tight enough to almost hurt. "Okay, love," he murmured, pressing his forehead to hers and closing his eyes in concentration so he didn't hurt her more than necessary or go off like a rocket in the next ten seconds.

He sucked in a breath and then kept going as he felt her amazing channel stretch to accommodate him. He thought he felt the whisper of a barrier at one point, her slight stiffening affirming it, but it moved out of his way easily enough. _Probably already mostly torn from her extremely active lifestyle,_ he thought dazedly as he kept going all the way to the end of her depths, burying himself to the hilt.

They groaned in unison and opened their eyes at the same time to look at each other in wonder. "Force, that feels good," Ahsoka whispered. She trailed kisses along his jaw as they savoured the joining, making for his neck. He jerked in surprise when he felt her sharp little teeth bite him rather hard on the tendon of his neck at the same time as her nails dug into the back of his skull and her channel clenched around him. "Now move, Rex," she demanded as her mouth travelled back to his.

Rex moved.

They kissed and clung to each other as Rex pistoned into her like a machine, over and over and over again. Tensions built. Hands tightened, leaving bruises that neither cared about. And they came on strangled cries only a minute later.

He kept going.

And going.

And going, as they came again and again, whatever pheromones were pouring out of Ahsoka keeping him unnaturally hard and both of them revved up, on the verge of climax again the instant they came down from the last one.

It was amazing.

Mind blowing.

Ground shattering.

And lasted for the better part of an hour.

They ended up on the floor after that, when Rex's legs trembled too much to hold them up anymore. She rode him and they came again. He flipped them over and rode her right back, his mouth lavishing attention to her sweet breasts until they stood up in aching points and she protested with a mewl. So he pumped into her some more and moved his attention to her lekku, kissing and sucking on them until she muffled her scream into his shoulder, biting him for what had to be the tenth or hundredth time, he wasn't sure anymore.

Rex didn't care if she covered him in bites and little moon shaped gauges from her nails. Rex was in literal heaven. Rex was in sensation overload. Rex was coming again in a miraculous orgasm that topped all of the others to the point of actually passing out when it was over.

* * *

Ahsoka stroked the short, silky bristles on his head lovingly where it rested on her chest as she propped her back against the wall where he'd pounded her to, somewhat pillowed by Rex's leggings. She smiled in replete bliss as little aftershocks still travelled through her some ten minutes after her last orgasm had nearly killed her, grateful that her body FINALLY felt done.

This mating heat thing was incredible, but she would be more than all right with having regular lovemaking without it. She'd practically savaged poor Rex with her teeth and nails in her nearly mindless passion, much to her regret. As is, it had been all she could do to keep a faint hold on her control of the Force or she would have shattered the shower stalls with the energy coursing through her. _And maybe the rest of the refresher facilities as well. How does Anakin not destroy everything around him when he does this?_

_Maybe he did, at first. _The thought made her smirk.

_I guess this is why we're supposed to be celibate. _

_Oh well. Mating heat trumps ancient codes as far as I'm concerned. I wonder which option Master Ti chose? _

_Speaking of mating cycles, I need to hit a med droid as soon as possible for a morning after shot. And a more permanent contraceptive shot. There's no way I'm going to have my own little youngling to take care of at my age._ _Five or six years from now, sure. Bring it on. But not now._

_I hope Rex wants kids too._

Rex groaned and opened his eyes, feeling sore all over in a very good way… Except for his knees, which just felt broken from the hard tile floor. He smiled at his new mate and sat up after pushing up to kiss her equally smiling mouth softly, which turned into a longer, sweet kiss that flowed with love. After pulling away, he settled into a cross legged position in front of her and then tugged her up into his lap with his hands on her waist in an easy show of strength.

Ahsoka sighed in contentment and nestled her head into his shoulder as she wound her arms around his back. "I don't think I've ever been happier, Rex," she murmured.

He pressed a kiss to her montral. "Me either, my little Soka. Actually, I know I've never been happier." He kissed her montral again softly and echoed her sigh of contentment. _At least I'll die happier than any clone, ever. _

_But maybe I can hold off that day for as long as possible. What are the odds of keeping this a secret from Anakin?_

_Probably miniscule. But my brothers will help, I'm sure. We've all kept Cody's relationship secret for months now, so I know it's possible. _

_But he's not married to Skywalker's Padawan, _the pessimistic part of his brain added to the mental musings.

_True. But Anakin does have his own beautiful distraction to keep him occupied. We might have a chance._

They sat in silence for a while, while Rex's mind made plans about how to make this new development in their relationship work and Ahsoka more or less dozed in the safety of his arms.

There was also no way he was going to let her have some sort of clandestine affair with him, as that was beyond dishonourable.

_But a clandestine marriage..._

Now there was a thought he could live with.

Besides, Anakin had managed to get away with it for almost two years, so he didn't see why Ahsoka and he couldn't.

_Now I just have to ask the girl…_

"Soka, my love," he murmured, running gentle fingers over her cheek.

"Hmmmmm?" She tipped her head up and blinked her eyes open.

Rex met her questioning gaze with a tentative smile. "Will you marry me?"

"What?!" Ahsoka's eyes widened and she sat up a little in surprise that he was asking her already, expecting him to take weeks or months to come up with the idea of marriage. _Force, he's even more perfect than I thought. _And she'd already had the highest possible opinion of him.

Rex shrugged slightly, his tentative smile dying as he looked away from her to hide his hurt, thus missing the glorious look of joy that had been blooming on her face. _I thought she would have been more pleased with the idea, but maybe she's right_. "If you don't want to, I understand," he said to the wall over her shoulder. (Ahsoka's smile disappeared in an instant.) "I'll grow old while you're still young. I should have thought of that before opening my stupid mouth. I'm sorry I asked."

_Stars, he thought that was a rejection. Stupid man. _Ahsoka reached up and cupped his cheeks, bringing his golden brown eyes back to hers, and then she kissed him thoroughly before meeting his eyes again. "I am honoured that you asked me to marry you. I truly do love you and fully intend to spend the rest of my life by your side, I promise."

Rex breathed a silent sigh of relief, tightening his arms around her back. "Thank you, thank you. We can do whatever you want, of…"

She stopped him with a finger to his lips, shaking her head and grinning. "As far as your accelerated aging is concerned, that doesn't bother me. But Anakin, Padmè, and I have already talked about getting a bill passed that will force the Republic to pay the Kaminoans to reverse-engineer your aging gene. It's already on its way to the Senate and will be discussed at the next meeting. It is only humane that they treat their soldiers with respect. And Padmè's going to argue that you'll be much more useful if you can fight long-term than if you all have to be retired in your thirties because of a gene that made you into full grown men when you hadn't even lived a decade yet." She smiled softly at him and stroked her fingers over his pronounced cheekbones as he blinked back the sudden moisture in his eyes.

"Shabla, Soka. That would be amazing."

"I know. That was the other thing I was going to surprise you with today as a Life Day present, but I kind of got sidetracked."

"Ahsoka," he sob-laughed, rubbing his hand over his face as he tried to get his emotions back under control before he actually did break down in front of her. He hugged her even tighter. "Stars, I love you."

She snuggled back into his chest, happy in his embrace. "I know. I've always known. I just didn't know if it was a brotherly kind or a mating kind; you're ridiculously hard to read."

Rex chuckled into her montral, making her giggle in turn at the pleasant shiver it sent through her. "I don't think there's any question now," he said, rolling his eyes slightly. "And I bet you've already got our children's names picked out."

Ahsoka looked up at him, hidden mirth in her eyes. "How did you know?"

Rex gawked at her. He'd been joking, but she looked quite serious. "You mean we're actually going to have kids?" He thought back to everything they'd just done for the last couple of hours and his voice squeaked into a higher pitch as he added, "Now?!"

Ahsoka laughed and extracted herself from his lap. She bent down and kissed the top of his head and then pulled him up onto his feet. "Not now, silly. But someday."

Rex smiled dopily. "I like someday. Someday sounds really nice." He pulled her closer with his hands on her hips and leaned down to brush kisses on her lips before turning it somewhat more serious. His tired manhood even gave a twitch of interest before he mentally scolded it back into submission. _Surely we've done enough for one day. She HAS to be sore. Force knows, I am. Annnnddd, I've been away from my men way too long already._

Pulling away from the kiss eventually, Rex felt very pleased with the dreamy, heavy lidded look Ahsoka was wearing. "Now, about getting married… Would you consider the Mandalorian vows good enough or do you want something more formal but harder to pull off in a clandestine fashion? I can make it happen, though, if that's what you want."

Ahsoka stared blankly at him for a moment, waiting for her pleasure-dazed brain to catch up with his words, then she smiled and cupped his cheeks again. "No. Mando vows are perfectly fine with me if you want them." She shrugged and grinned. "But, in my culture, we're already married."

Rex gawked at her, blinking stupidly. "Say what?!"

Ahsoka's smile widened, showing off her gleaming white teeth, sharply pointed canines and all. (The ones that had left little holes all over his neck, shoulders, and chest.) "Exchanging vows of love and consummating during a mating cycle is considered a marriage ceremony. You're mine now, Captain Rex."

"Holy nerfherders," he breathed. "I'm married!" He gazed down at her as his own grin spread across his handsome face. "And you're mine!" He picked her up and twirled her around as she laughed and then kissed the breath right out of her while still holding her high in his arms.

And despite having already made love to her way more than he thought was possible, and knowing he probably shouldn't, he did it again while they finally had that shower she'd been promising him.

And this time, they learned how nice it was to make love slowly with gentle touches, giggles, deep laughter, and a LOT of wasted soap. (And Rex found out in the best possible way just how dexterous her lekku could be.)

When they had once again collapsed into boneless puddles on the wet floor as warm water rained over them, he married her in the Mandalorian way, too, because he'd always dreamed of doing so.

* * *

Rex walked into his battalion's barracks some four hours after the rest of his brothers.

He felt squeaky clean from Ahsoka's VERY thorough soaping of his body, slightly uncomfortable in his more-than-damp leggings and boots, and still enjoying the way his blood was pleasantly humming through his veins.

He felt the King of the Galaxy.

_I finally understand why Master Ti gave me the name Rex. Those Jedi sure can be scarily smart sometimes. _

He found his men sprawled all over the common room, watching a holomovie that featured a boy riding around on a fluffy, flying white dragon type thing. There were candy wrappers strewn everywhere, looking like a colourful hurricane had hit, and his brothers looked happily full as they dug through the wrappers, seeking out stray candies that had escaped the cavity inducing massacre.

After extracting a handful of purple coloured licorice sticks from his bag, Rex tossed the rest in Five's direction and the bag was quickly passed around the whole room until there were none left. Rex smiled softly as he chewed his sweets, love for his younger brothers filling him from the inside out.

Fives tossed him a wrapped mini cake over his shoulder, only glancing at him before turning his eyes back to the holo projection on the far wall. "Saved you a chocolate cake, Rex."

"Thanks, Fives." Rex said as he leaned his shoulder against the doorframe and watched the movie and his brothers, a smile playing over his face that he couldn't quite hide. He unwrapped it and stuffed a quarter of the fist sized cake into his mouth, chewing with pleasure at the flavour that was soooo much better than standard ration bars.

Five's head slowly turned back around to look at Rex as he eventually registered what he'd seen. Noticing his distraction, Kix turned around as well. The medic's mouth fell open and stayed that way.

It was all Rex could do to keep a straight face as he studiously pretended to watch the movie.

Soon enough every brother in the room was looking at Rex with gaping mouths and ignoring their movie completely even as it seemed to be in some sort of grand finale. (A pretty, young girl was crying, "Call my name!" and the end of the universe appeared to be occurring.)

"Shabla hell, Sir. What happened to you?" Kix eventually spat out, taking in Rex's lack of shirt and the tooth and nail marks all over his chest and neck.

Rex grinned in pride as he swallowed the last of the cake and tossed the wrapper into the disaster zone already on the floor. (Because at this point, why the hell not? They would clean it all up later.) "You should see my back. It looks like I fell in a Rancor pit."

"Osik," Fives breathed. "Did the Commander do that to you?"

Rex shrugged, grin still playing on his lips. "The evidence would point in that direction."

More than one of his brothers snorted in amusement.

"You are one lucky mooka, Sir" Tup said from his spot beside Fives.

Most of the brothers nodded and grinned and spouted out multiple forms of, "Yep."

"He needs bacta," Kix scolded. "Not praise."

Rex rolled his eyes at his Medic. Fives helped out by tossing a balled up cake wrapper at Kix's head.

Kix caught it in midair and lobbed it back. "Arse."

"I say he's too lucky," a shiny called Pepper muttered amidst the laughter. "Why does he get to tap that hot bitch?"

Hearing this, Rex's head swiveled as he growled, along with at least half the room. He strode over to the new brother sitting on a beanbag chair in the corner of the room and picked him up by the collar of his shirt with only one hand, slamming him against a wall. "That's my WIFE you're slandering, SHINY," he snarled into Pepper's face.

The young clone shrank away from Rex's rage, trying to disappear into his clothes. "Sorry, Sir. I didn't know, Sir," he frantically backpedaled.

Rex growled at him again and shoved him against the wall one more time for good measure. "Not one more word against Commander Tano or you'll find yourself in pieces and sent back to Kamino. Got it?"

Pepper nodded quickly and slunk as far away from Rex as he could get while still staying in the room, abandoning his comfy chair. (Another shiny sitting on a table slid into it with a smirk as two other brothers also made a move for it.)

Rex pinned all the shinies in his hard gaze. "That goes for all of you. You will respect Command Tano like your life depends on it, because it does."

They all nodded quickly with wide eyes, and there was a bunch of crisp, "Yes, Sirs!" and even a few salutes.

Rex nodded once, then smiled, good mood restored.

"Ummmm, Sir," Fives dared to say, getting Rex's attention. "Did you really say Commander Tano was your wife?"

Rex meandered back to his spot in the doorway as he let his silent brothers stew in that thought for minute, his lips quirking into a slanted grin. "I did," he finally admitted after resuming his holding-up-the-wall position. "And you're all going to keep that under your buckets. If word gets out that Commander Tano just married me, she'll be expelled from the Order and she won't be our Commander anymore, so I expect every single one of you to keep your yaps shut, understood?" His voice rang with an authority at the end that was undeniable.

Every single man sprang to attention and saluted smartly. "Sir. Yes, Sir!" they shouted in chorus.

Rex gave them an approving nod and they all fell back into whatever sprawl they'd been in before. "Good. Now what are the odds of getting this movie started over from the beginning? It looks good."

The men groaned just as the closing credits started to roll.

* * *

**A/N: You may have noticed that I've taken liberties with regards to Ahsoka's usual fighting outfit that we see in later seasons of The Clone Wars. I like to think that Anakin would have insisted that she wear a little more protection at some point, so this was her compromise, not wanting to wear hot plastoid armour. **

**A/N 2: If you don't know what movie I referenced in this, you seriously missed out on a vital piece of your childhood. Lol. For those who actually did grow up under a rock, Google 'boy with flying white dragon' and your question will be answered.**


	4. Satine Surprises Obi-Wan

**A/N: 1200 new words in this one! And the chapter that contains probably the naughtiest lemon I've ever written. lol. I'd actually forgotten I'd done so until I reread it. My eyebrow shot up, I'll tell you. :D**

**This chapter now also contains my theory about The Mandalorian's 'No Remove Helmet Ever' rule. I'm curious to know if anyone else likes my theory or if you have one of your own. **

* * *

**Satine Surprises Obi-Wan:**

Not even five minutes after Anakin and Ahsoka left the party at the Temple, Obi-Wan also made his excuses. He mumbled something about too much flimsiwork to catch up on to Master Plo and casually sauntered for the nearest door off of the rooftop courtyard before anyone could stop him.

With every step he took towards his quarters, Obi-Wan felt the anticipation within him build and the stresses of the war melt away. He was going to spend the afternoon with Satine and he refused to take any of the baggage of being a Jedi General with him. The precious hours he got to spend with his wife were so few and far between these days that he didn't want to ruin them with any thought but the pleasure of being in her company.

Dozens of hallways, lifts, stairs, and more hallways later, Obi-Wan made it to his small apartment. Not for the first time, he wished being able to use the Force also included the ability to teleport. The Temple was so vast and complicated to traverse, he was sure teleporting would have saved him at least a year of his life by now. Obi-Wan chuckled to himself as he palmed open his door, imagining the look on the rest of the Council's faces if he were to show up for a meeting via teleportation one day.

Once, as a padawan, he'd asked his Master about teleporting, since Force users could do almost everything else you could think of from telekinesis to telepathy. Qui-Gon had given him a thoughtful look and simply said, 'The Force works in mysterious ways, my young Padawan. Who knows what is yet to be discovered about it and what knowledge has been lost over the millennia?'

_Force, he was wise. _

_I wish he was still here. Maybe Anakin wouldn't be so close to the edge if my Master had raised him instead of me._

Sighing at the unforgiving will of the Force and the trials of his volatile ex Padawan, Obi-Wan pushed his worries to the back of his mind once again. He then made a quick dash around his apartment.

He started by employing the refresher, then double checked that his meticulously trimmed beard was still up to par while brushing his teeth, and finally, adding a dash of the cologne that Satine went nuts over every time she smelled it on him. (She kept giving him new bottles, so he'd have to be the galaxy's biggest idiot to miss the hint.) From there, it was to the closet, where he pulled a hooded brown cloak out of the sparsely filled space and tossed it around his shoulders to cover up his robes and distinctive copper and bronze hair. From his desk drawer in the living area, he scooped up her Life Day present and tucked it into a pouch on his belt.

Five minutes after entering his room, Obi-Wan was striding down more hallways to the nearest hangar where he kept his generic dark blue speeder.

* * *

Satine hummed quietly to herself as she smoothed moisturizer on her bare legs now that she was dry from her shower. Her long blonde hair fell around her naked form in flowery scented waves as she worked. Tossing it over her shoulder once again, she finished up and then straightened to her full height. Glancing in the full length mirror on the wall of the refresher, Satine smirked at her reflection. _Not too shabby for a thirty-three year old, if I do say so myself. _

She wasn't quite as slender and her breasts were maybe a fraction less perky than the young woman Obi had first made love to some thirteen years ago, but overall, she thought she still looked pretty damn good. Obi seemed to think so too, considering the way his changeable eyes turned to the brightest of blues whenever he saw her naked.

Grabbing an emerald green silk robe off a hook on the wall and shrugging into it, Satine left the refresher, tying the belt as she walked. Her feet were nearly soundless on the plush carpet of the hallway as she wandered into the living area of her rented Coruscant apartment, double checking that everything looked neat and tidy. This was a new apartment for her, and her droid had just finished unpacking this morning. She was pleased with how OK-7, her butler droid, had arranged the furniture and paintings.

The apartment had been recommended by Padmè, who lived a few floors higher in the same building, and Satine was quite pleased with it. It was no Sundari Palace by any stretch of the imagination, but it was perfect for her trips to Coruscant to argue with the Senate and spend time with her husband. (Whom she also tended to argue with, but their banter was rarely heartfelt and usually turned her on to the point that she just wanted to tackle him to the floor and have her way with him.) (Sometimes, she did.)

And speaking of having her way with Obi, Seven walked into the apartment right on cue, carrying a box in his long durasteel arms. Satine smiled at him in relief. "Oh good, you made it back in time."

"Of course, Mistress," he replied matter of factly. "Your present for Master Obi-Wan was not the easiest thing to find, though. I had to go to three different shops before I found what you were looking for."

"Thank you, Seven. You can take it the bedroom and leave it on the bed. I'll unpack it myself."

"Yes, Mistress."

As he was heading out of the room, Satine stopped him as another thought occurred to her. "Oh, and Seven?"

"Yes?" he asked, turning his head most of the way around to look at her with bright yellow photoreceptors.

"Could you prepare a plate of berries and fruit and the bottle of Blossom wine that Padmè sent over this morning and put them in my room as well?"

"Yes, Mistress." If Seven could smile, she knew he would have.

Satine resumed humming a favourite classical tune by the renowned Heytovani as she nitpicked at the straightness of a landscape painting by her second cousin, Alrich. He'd married the heir to the Wren clan a few years ago and already had a nearly six month old daughter they'd named Sabine in her honour. It was close enough without being confusing and she thought it was very clever and flattering.

It was too bad that Count Wren, and thus his daughter, Ursa, had recently declared alliance with Pre Vizla's radical group calling themselves the Death Watch. (The same group her sister had joined. Losing her sister to Death Watch had hurt something awful.) She had to wonder how her peace loving cousin was taking the change in political alliance. Unfortunately, she hadn't heard from him in a month and had to believe it was because he was too ashamed to speak with her.

As if Death Watch wasn't enough to give her a migraine, Vizsla's younger cousin, Paz Vizla (different spelling for a different branch of the family), had just started spouting some nonsense about going back to the ancient ways of NEVER removing one's helmet. The practice might have had a good purpose a few thousand years ago, but only the Manda knew what. The sad thing is that people were starting to buy it. There were posters with the slogan, 'This Is The Way', popping up everywhere and more and more of her hard-earned pacifist people were putting their armour back on.

And not taking off their helmets. Not even to eat while at home with their families.

It was the most ridiculous thing she'd ever seen her people do.

_I'm going to have to banish that shabla mir'osik off of Mandalore before that gets even more out of hand and hopefully people will realize what idiots they're being. _

_The Vizslas are just going to LOVE that. _

"Everything is prepared as you wish, Mistress. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Satine startled when Seven spoke behind her, wondering how long she'd been staring at the painting blankly as she stood lost in thought. Covering her jump by turning around and smiling, she shook her head. "No, Seven, that's all for now. Thank you. Just let Obi-Wan in when he gets here and then you can go charge in your station or something. I'll be going to Senator Amidala's for dinner, so don't worry about making me anything. And finally, as usual, you will ignore anything you hear coming from the bedroom."

Seven nodded once. "Yes, Mistress." He went to stand by the door dutifully, staring at it with single minded concentration.

_If only it were that easy to make Obi-Wan show up._

Satine swallowed a laugh and shook her head as she meandered back to the master suite.

Upon entering the room, the first thing she spotted was the platter of sliced fruit and berries on a small table. Unable to resist, she popped a rainbow berry into her mouth and closed her eyes as she savoured the sweet and tangy flavour.

She then turned her attention to the box sitting on the bed and opened the lid. The disk shaped droid inside was painted a cheerful shade of purple and looked completely innocuous while powered down. According to the commercial she'd seen on the holonet, though, the droid was going to make things very interesting for her and Obi's 'fun time'. (Not like they needed it, but she'd thought it would make for an amusing Life Day present.)

Ignoring the instruction manual leaning beside it that said 'READ FIRST' in big letters (because, how hard would it be to figure out a simple droid?), Satine pushed the button in the middle of the droid to turn it on.

* * *

Obi-Wan parked in the guest lot of a very familiar apartment building, having come here many times for parties or meetings of some sort at Senator Amidala's. He was amused but unsurprised that Satine now lived here as well. The two women had become very good friends over the last couple of years while dealing with the politics of the war now that Padmè was a Senator and no longer a Queen who almost never left Naboo.

Obi-Wan was proud and amazed at how Padmè just kept on fighting for her beliefs. She was a far cry from the fourteen year old girl he'd first met so many years ago, but she still had the same gutsy determination that had made her an excellent Queen for her people.

She was also quite stunning to look at now that she was grown up. (He'd have to be blind not to notice.) Between her looks, her courage, and her amazingly giving heart, it was no wonder Anakin practically worshipped the ground she walked on. (Yes, he'd noticed. Again, he'd have to be blind to miss it. And even then, he could feel how much Anakin cared and worried for Padmè via their bond.) There had been at least a dozen occasions where Obi-Wan had almost brought up his concern over Anakin's ever more obvious feelings for the woman, but couldn't quite bring himself to do so.

If he lectured Anakin on attachments more than he already had, he'd have to call himself a hypocrite of the worst kind, and Obi-Wan didn't want to admit to that.

Anakin had been friends with Padmè since they first met more than eleven years ago, despite the odds of a fourteen year old girl actually wanting anything to do with a nine year old boy. Add in the fact that she was a gently bred Queen and he was a rough bred slave, they shouldn't have gotten along at all. Even when they didn't see each other in person for ten years, Obi-Wan was pretty sure they kept in comm contact on a regular basis. (If anyone could figure out a way to smuggle a long-range comm unit into his room, it would be Anakin. Or Force, he probably built one from scratch from spare parts.)

Aside from being able to sense that Padmè cared for Anakin in return, Obi-Wan wasn't sure if she returned his former Padawan's more romantic feelings or not.

He wasn't sure if he wanted her too, either. Anakin was enough of a mess already without adding the complication of a relationship to his already stressful life.

_Then again, do I have any right to deny him whatever happiness he can find?_

_The code would say; yes. _

_My own attachments would say; no. _

_Then why are you always lecturing him about his attachments to his friends?_

_Because I AM a messed up hypocrite. _

Obi-Wan nearly sighed in relief as the turbolift stopped on Satine's floor so that he could avoid his own thoughts for a little while longer. He didn't want to think about his life of lies. He didn't want to think about Anakin possibly breaking the rules with Padmè. And he most definitely didn't want to start thinking about Ahsoka.

Her emotions were literally all over the place and Obi-Wan couldn't figure out if she was romantically interested in Lux Bonteri, or Rex, or Barriss Offee, or, Force forbid, even Anakin. (What a nightmare that would be.) Or if he was just imagining all of it and she just had a great big caring heart that loved all of her friends like family. Teenage females were the hardest things in the galaxy to understand, by far, and Obi-Wan had decided that trying to figure out what was going on in his Grandpadawan's complicated mind was just not worth the headache.

Instead of worrying about things he couldn't control, Obi-Wan pushed it all away as he rang the buzzer to Satine's new apartment.

_I hope I have the right number._ His temporary fear of being at the wrong door was dismissed as it opened immediately and a very familiar silver plated butler droid greeted him.

"Master Obi-Wan. It is good to see that you have arrived on schedule for once. Mistress Satine is waiting for you in the master suite at the end of the hall."

Obi-Wan smiled at the droid in thanks as he stepped into the apartment and handed him his cloak. "Thanks, Seven." The droid nodded and turned to hang the cloak in a nearby closet.

Obi-Wan barely spared a glance for the familiar furnishings set in a new location as he quickly strode through the living space and into the hallway on the far side, drawn by the nearly electric Force bond he had with a certain Duchess of Mandalore.

Anticipation thrummed through him as he walked. He hadn't seen his wife in three weeks and he sorely missed her. It wasn't the longest they'd been separated by any stretch of the imagination (the longest being almost half a year once), but to Obi-Wan, it felt like waayyyyy too long.

As he closed in on the last door at the end of the hallway, Obi-Wan's eyebrows rose; Satine was projecting some very clear waves of frustration. He could only assume it was at him, but there was always the more hopeful thought that she might be on the comm and was frustrated at someone else for once. (Palpatine came to mind. She REALLY didn't like him. Obi-Wan pretty much concurred. There was just something about the power hungry Chancellor that rubbed him the wrong way.)

Now a little more reluctant to advance further, he nevertheless took that last step and pressed the button to open the sliding door. Both eyebrows shot up to his hairline at the sight that greeted him.

_Well, hello there. This is new. I think I like it. _

Now stifling the urge to chuckle, since he knew that would not go well for him later, he closed the door and leaned back against it negligently while crossing his arms and ankles and proceeded to enjoy the show for a minute.

His wife was bound at both wrists and ankles by the long, flexible manipulators of a disk shaped purple droid and being held against her will up in the air with her arms held above her head and her legs spread wide. There was also another manipulator visibly vibrating against her bare clit. Her hair and robe hung down, leaving the top half of her body on display.

It was a spectacular view that his manhood was heartily inspired by.

Satine appeared to be lost somewhere between fighting to get free and reluctantly enjoying it. She was also swearing a storm in Mando'a between frustrated moans and pants that roughly translated to: "Fragging hells... If you kriffing don't... kriffing let me go this kriffing instant, you... kriffing piece of dishonourable dung, I'm going... to kriffing well borrow Obi's kriffing lightsabre and... kriffing slice you into a hundred kriffing little pieces." Except every kriff was one of the dozens of Mando'a words that described something coarse or vulgar. (They liked their swear words. Even the so-called pacifists like Satine. Obi-Wan figured it was to help deal with their suppressed warrior urges.)

_Oooooo, someone's feeling violent. I'm going to have to tease her about that when it's safe to do so. And the number of obscenities in that sentence was impressive. That might even be more swears than she usually says in a whole month. I think even Cody and his brothers would be impressed. _(The clones were constantly trying to outswear each other in Mando'a, Basic, Huttese, and any other language they picked up as they travelled across the galaxy in this war that had been going on way too long already. And the clever clones were REALLY good at picking up new languages, much to most of their Jedi Generals' dismay.)

The pleasure droid was ignoring her curses, of course.

Satine opened her eyes and glared at her husband, having heard the door open and close. She switched back to Basic, so there was no excuse for a misheard word. (Obi was fairly fluent in Mando'a, but would never sound like a native speaker.) "Don't just stand there, dickhead; get this fragging thing off of me."

_I'm probably going to regret this, but what the hell. This is too good to stop now. _Obi-Wan smirked slightly as he pushed himself off the door and walked over to the platter of fruit. "I actually happen to like where you are right now, darling. It brings so many wonderful ideas to mind." He popped a yogan slice into his mouth and snickered as Satine glared figurative daggers at his back that he could actually feel.

"Obi-Wan. Reginald. Kenobi. Kryze," she ground out through clenched teeth as what had to be her fifth mini orgasm rolled through her.

_Oooooooo. All my names. I know I'm in trouble when… _Obi-Wan bravely ignored her and poured himself a goblet of the very expensive blossom wine that was chilling in ice. He hummed in pleasure as he took a sip. "This is wonderful wine, my dear. Life Day present from Padmè?"

"What do you think?" Satine growled as she rolled her eyes at his back.

"I think you need some of this wonderful vintage as well, sweetheart," Obi-Wan said as he carried the goblet over to her still struggling form. "You look much too stressed," he teased with a nearly straight face.

Satine narrowed her eyes at him. "You try and give me some of that right now and you will find yourself wearing it."

Obi-Wan inclined his head in acknowledgement. "Understood. More for me then." He took a big gulp for show and grinned at her. "Would you like me to feed you some fruit and berries? You've always found that awfully romantic in the past."

Satine just upped the level of her glare to something resembling the melting heat of a volcano.

_Force, I shouldn't enjoy this so much, but I can't help myself._ "I'll take that as a no, then?"

_Oooooo, now we are freezing on an ice planet. Stars, she's good at expressing herself without words._

"Your loss," he couldn't help but continue the teasing even though he was hard as a rock in his trousers and his wife would probably make him sleep on the couch for a week in retaliation. He wandered over to the bed and glanced inside the box. Seeing the instruction manual, he picked it up with his free hand and showed it to her. "I take it you didn't read this first?"

"I believe that is rather obvious," Satine said as she closed her eyes and finally gave up trying to force her way out of the manipulators. At least they were lined with a cushiony material and she wasn't rubbing her skin off.

"Hmmmm," Obi-Wan said thoughtfully as he sat at the little table and flipped through the manual, memorizing the important parts in only moments per page.

He took one last sip of the wine and then left the goblet behind as he stood. He also placed Satine's present on the table beside the platter to give to her later.

Walking back to his captured wife, he knelt down by the droid on the carpeted floor and touched a small button on the side. "PD-919."

"What is your desire?" a sultry voice that could have been either male or female said.

"Recognize Master voice, Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Recognized."

"Recognize second Master voice, Satine Kryze."

"Please speak."

"I've spoken to you plenty, you disobedient..."

"Recognized," the droid cut her off.

Obi-Wan chuckled when Satine huffed in her restraints. He continued with the set up process of the simple droid. "Program safe word."

"Ready."

Obi-Wan glanced up at Satine and raised an eyebrow. It was her toy; she should pick the safe word.

Satine smiled at him, despite her situation. He was a terrible tease, but at heart, he was the most caring man in the galaxy. It's why she let herself fall in love with him in the first place, despite how her heritage said she shouldn't and how difficult a secret marriage would be to maintain. She took a moment to come up with a safe word that she knew would never come up in a normal lovemaking session and then smiled wider when she thought of the perfect one. "Ugly."

"Safe word programmed."

Obi-Wan grinned back at her for her word choice because she was right; not once in thirteen years had they ever called their partner 'ugly'. On the other hand, gorgeous, beautiful, handsome, dashing, enchanting, and so and so forth had been mentioned about a million times. Their insults tended to run more along the lines of; pain in the ass, frustrating, infuriating, hardheaded, stubborn, annoying, etc. But no uglies.

"Do you wish me to continue current program?" the droid asked, interrupting their look.

Obi-Wan raised a brow in question once again. He was all for it, but if Satine didn't want to stay in her admittedly somewhat uncomfortable looking position any longer, he wouldn't make her.

Satine sighed, but seeing the hope in Obi's eager blue eyes decided it for her. "Continue program. But get your manipulator off my clit before I throw you out permanently."

The droid didn't say anything, but the manipulator in question slithered back into the droid almost soundlessly. Satine sighed in relief. "Thank the stars. I honestly couldn't take any more stimulation there right now," she admitted to her smirking husband.

Obi-Wan rose to his feet and loomed over her, running a finger down the center of her body from throat to bare pubic mound. "But there are other places that I could stimulate for you, my sweet. And you're perfectly laid out for me to do so."

Satine returned his smirk. "I'd like to say I'd love for you to do your worst, but can it wait for when I'm lying on the bed and not hovering in the air? My back is starting to hurt." She glanced meaningfully at the tent in the front of his trousers that his tunics just couldn't hide. "Why don't you put that to use first and we'll go from there?"

_No argument from me. _Obi-Wan immediately got to work shucking his many layers. "Your wish is my command, my Duchess." His belt went flying, lightsabre and all, then his boots, quickly followed by tunics, trousers, and undershorts.

Satine's eyes gleamed as her warrior husband's form was uncovered. _By the Manda, I'm a lucky girl. _Over the last couple of years, he'd acquired a shocking amount of scars from blaster bolts, shrapnel, whips, and lightsabre blades, but with them layered on top of his muscled physique she found them sexy as hell when taken out of context. She didn't like to think to think about him getting hurt, but the Mandalorian in her was sooooo turned on by his badges of honourable combat.

Obi-Wan stepped between her spread legs and grasped her narrow waist in his strong hands, taking the stress off her back and core muscles. He leaned over her and pressed a lingering kiss to her perfect pink lips. "Are you ready for me, dearheart?" he whispered against her mouth after he'd thoroughly stolen her breath.

_After that warm up the droid gave me? Are you kidding?_

_Nice of him to ask though. _Satine cracked her eyes open, wishing she could wrap her arms around his neck. "I'm always ready for you, Obi," she whispered back huskily, her senses full of his intoxicating scent and taste.

"Ditto," he murmured before kissing her again as he unerringly found her warm and wet opening and pushed inside.

Satine gasped at the intrusion of his cock that filled her to the brink of almost too much. But then her channel stretched to accommodate his size, and only pleasure filled her. With their random and often infrequent visits, her body was almost always tighter than tight for their first go round. Not that that was a bad thing, especially with the way Obi's eyes darkened almost to black every time he thrust into her for the first time and groaned like he was dying.

Today was no exception.

"Force, Satine. Always so kriffing tight," he mumbled into her neck, thrusting steadily into her grasping depths.

"You're own fault for being so kriffing big," she retorted teasingly.

Obi-Wan snorted inelegantly before sucking and nibbling on her neck the way she liked.

Her eyes rolled back behind her closed lids from the pleasure shooting from her core to the top of her head and back again. "Harder, Obi," she gasped out.

He went harder.

And faster.

"Staaaaaarrrrsss!" Satine exploded, her muscles tensing into durasteel as her back arched in the air. The teasing by the droid had left her so beyond ready for a real orgasm that it only took a couple minutes of Obi's attentions to send her over the edge.

Obi-Wan stilled and held onto his control out of practice and determination as she clamped around him rhythmically for a good thirty seconds or more. _Force, I love feeling her come._ When she relaxed in his arms, he pulled out. "Remove restrains, PD." The droid immediately complied as Obi-Wan caught her in his arms.

He placed her on her shaky feet for a moment as he tugged off her robe, sent the box flying off of the bed with a flick of his fingers, and then he scooped her up under her knees and behind her back to place her on the king sized bed covered in pale blue blankets and pillows. "PD, come hold her wrists again."

Satine's eyes flew open. "What?"

Obi-Wan grinned at her as the droid flew up onto the bed and took a position above her head, grabbing her wrists with rope-like manipulators before she could protest further. "I have more plans for you, my dear," he explained.

Her eyes went heavy lidded as she eyed his throbbing erection that clearly hadn't had a release yet. "I see that. Do as you will, then, Obi darling. But this droid was supposed to hold you down for ME to have my way with YOU."

Obi-Wan chuckled at her adorable pout. "We can do that too, my love."

"We better."

"Promise."

"Excellent," she purred, already picturing her long planned sensual torture for her husband.

Obi-Wan leaned over her and kissed her hard, burying his fingers in her luxurious gold hair and his tongue in her sassy mouth. Satine returned his kiss with interest, nipping at his tongue and then his lower lip when he withdrew. Obi-Wan growled at her playfully. "Minx."

"Mando."

"Mine."

"Maybe."

He kissed her smirk away, just because. "Most definitely," he whispered against her lips.

Then he moved his kisses down to safer territory before she decided to bite him again, hands running down her shoulders and settling on either side of her narrow ribcage. His mouth moved from her jaw, to her throat, to her collarbone, and finally settled on her breasts. He loved everything about her, but her breasts were like the sweet icing on the cake and topped with tangy cherries. He could happily spend hours licking and sucking on the soft pillows that defied gravity and her slender frame with perky cheerfulness. He teased the pert little nipples with tiny nips and brushes with his beard as he moved from one breast to the other and back again.

Satine moaned as the pleasure flowed from her tingling nipples all the way down to her core. She wondered if it was his intention to make her come again without budging from her breasts, because they both knew that if he sucked on them long enough, she would.

"Force, you have the most beautiful breasts ever," Obi-Wan said worshipfully as he glanced up at her face.

Satine smirked. "You have mentioned it once or twice, Obi dear." _Or a hundred times, but who's counting? It's still nice to hear. _She arched her back and shook the orbs in question slightly, just to see his reaction.

He did exactly what she thought he would do.

"Now you're just asking for it," he said roughly as he moved to straddle her torso.

_Do I know my boob-loving husband, or what? _"I can't be the only one having all the fun here," Satine said laughingly as he pushed her breasts together and plowed his cock into the valley he'd made. To help inspire him, she stuck her tongue out and licked at the head every time it ventured near her chin, making him laugh and groan simultaneously.

"Have I mentioned lately that you're the best wife ever?" Obi-Wan groaned out a few minutes later as he paused his motions and just watched her lick his knob for a bit. He was positive there wasn't a sexier image to be found than what he was looking at right this instant.

"You may have mentioned that once or twice as well," she said, licking her lips to get all of his salty flavour.

Obi-Wan shuddered as he held onto the edge of control again. _Enough of that. I'm not done with her yet. _He scooted back to resume kissing her breasts.

Satine raised a brow in surprise when he didn't come on her breasts like he had a tendency to do. _Someone's going for bonus points. _"You're not doing too badly in the husband department either, Obi'ika," she panted as he sucked and flicked her nipples into hard attention.

"Good to know." He flashed her a grin and then scooted even further back so he could trail a path of kisses down her torso. He paused at her belly button and dove his tongue into the little indent, making her giggle. Obi-Wan closed his eyes, savouring the sound as he teased her; he loved when he made her happy since it made her Force signature light up like champagne bubbles.

With his eyes closed, he could concentrate on her signature and, as usual, he wasn't disappointed; she was bubbling merrily in the Force from his attentions. But then he noticed that there seemed to be an extra light coming from the center of her signature.

_What is that?_

Obi-Wan paused his play and ran his hands down to her stomach, a frown of concentration wrinkling his forehead. He gulped as he connected with the tiny addition to Satine's signature. "Oh, frag," he breathed, opening his eyes and staring at up Satine in shock.

"What it is, Obi-Wan?" She was worried now by his strange behaviour. _Has he sensed something amiss inside me?_ She had been feeling kind of weird lately, but nothing serious or frequent.

"Satine... You're pregnant." He could barely believe the words were coming out of his mouth as he said them.

"I'm what?!" Her turquoise eyes went wide as she all but screeched at him. _By the Manda, how did that happen? This is NOT a good time to be pregnant. We don't even live together!_ "I can't be. You know I take yearly contraceptive shots."

"I know," he said softly, his hands smoothing over her flat stomach as he kept up the fragile connection with the tiny Force signature inside her. With every moment, his chest tightened and his heart nearly hurt as love for this new little life filled him. "But you are. And our daughter is beautiful."

Tears stung her eyes as she witnessed the emotions flowing through her husband. His expression looked so vulnerable right now and his eyes had turned to the dove grey that indicated his sappiest moments. And that's when it hit her; he'd said 'daughter'.

_I'm going to have a daughter!_

Satine went from shocked and maybe not so happy about it to fiercely protective of the new life growing inside her within the space of a moment. She was going to be a mother, even though they'd resigned themselves to the possibility that they might never have the opportunity to have children. As long as he was a Jedi forbidden attachments and she was the ruler of a people who hated Jedi, they couldn't reveal their marriage.

_But now... Now something is going to have to change_, she thought determinedly. "Ugly," she whispered, and the droid immediately let her go. Her hands moved down and cupped Obi's over her stomach. "Obi. Oh, stars, Obi. We're going to be parents."

Obi-Wan met her eyes before he kissed her stomach reverently. "Yes, we are. The Force has willed it, and I have to admit, I'm very grateful."

Satine sat up and wrapped her arms around his torso as they stared into each other's watery eyes. "So am I, Obi'ika. So am I."

Obi-Wan lowered his head to hers and kissed her softly, lovingly, as he wrapped his arms around her in return. "I love you so much, my beautiful Satine," he murmured against her cheeks as he kissed the tears off of them.

"I love you more," she whispered back before she captured his mouth with hers and kissed him very enthusiastically. Her hands came around to the front of his shoulders and she pushed him backwards so she could straddle his hips and kiss him harder.

Obi-Wan smiled into her kiss for a moment before he sat right back up. He cupped his hands under her soft butt cheeks and hiked her up high enough so he could lower her onto his erection that had never faltered, despite the brief distraction. Satine wrapped her legs around his waist and buried her fingers in his hair that was still a little bit shorter than normal after that dreadful undercover mission that had required him to shave his head bald. (Not to mention fake his death, but she tried not to think about that part.)

They then proceeded to make sweet and slow love to each other while their lips mumbled endearments and pressed kisses to cheeks and necks before inevitably returning like magnets to their partner's mouth and kissing almost desperately.

This wasn't just a quest for shared pleasure anymore; this was about reaffirming their love for each other in the most connected way possible.

This was about celebrating the life they'd unknowingly created.

This was about strengthening their relationship even more as they prepared for the massive changes to their lives that they knew were now inevitable.

And, maybe, at the very end, it was about that shared climb to the heights of perfect bliss that could only be found in the arms of a true soulmate. Their Force signatures essentially merged and pleasure was shared from one to the other and back again thanks to Obi-Wan's deep connection with the Force.

As Satine gasped in Obi's arms, slowly remembering to release the grip her nails had on the skin of his back, she knew that she had never loved her husband more than she did in that moment.

Obi-Wan shuddered one last time as he finished emptying what felt like his entire heart and soul into his wife and sighed in blissed out contentment into her shoulder, resting his cheek on her. His eyes closed and he soaked in the aftermath of orgasm that radiated between them and through the Force. He loved when she held him so tight, both inside and out. He loved how she claimed him as her own by leaving marks on his skin with her teeth and nails that he wished he could show to the galaxy with pride. _Maybe that would change soon._

_Maybe it's time to leave the Order and the fragging senseless war behind._

_Maybe it's time to be a proper husband to my wife._

_My wife who is pregnant with our daughter._

That last thought alone was enough to fill him with more joy than he thought he was capable of feeling. Obi-Wan honestly felt like he could burst all over again.

Instead, he sank backwards down onto the bed, taking Satine with him so she could rest on his chest with that contented after sex purr that he loved so much while he petted her soft hair and back.

Satine snuggled into the muscles of his chest with a happy smile and closed her eyes. She loved this part possibly just a fraction more than the actual lovemaking. She loved feeling so connected to him. She always felt so cherished and fulfilled when he held her like this; his hand stroking her softly as the other arm held her close around her waist and his softening length still half buried in her.

It always just felt perfect to her. And she was pretty sure he knew it, because as long as they finished somewhere near a flat and relatively comfortable surface (and they weren't having rushed relations in a closet or something when they were supposed to be elsewhere), this was their standard snuggling pose.

She let herself enjoy it for ten quiet and peaceful minutes before a driving need to say something worked its way out of her mouth. Satine sighed and looked up at him, propping her chin on his chest.

Obi-Wan met her eyes immediately, having sensed the change in her mood. _Annnnnd, the serious part begins. I bet almost anything that she wants to talk about our future._

"Obi, we have to talk about this and what we're going to do now."

_Called it. _Obi-Wan smiled softly, his eyes at their usual shade of greyish blue once again. He cupped her cheek, stroking the satin soft skin of her exquisitely beautiful face. "I know, Satine. Trust me. I know. Just give me a day to figure things out. One of us needs to change occupations, and it's not going to be you."

"I'm sorry, Obi," she breathed in sympathy, stroking tender fingers over his temple. Satine could see how much the thought of giving up the Order troubled him, which is why she'd never asked it of him before. But now, she just couldn't see any other way, not if he wanted to be able to claim his daughter as his own.

He tugged her up higher and kissed her gently before meeting her eyes again. "Bic cuyir an staabi, Tine'ika," he said softly in her language, so she knew he one hundred percent meant it. "Aliit cuyir or'atu jaon'yc."

_Stars, he's racking up the bonus points faster than a children's war game. Thank his Force that this isn't a real competition because I'd be losing today. He's going to make me cry at this rate. _She caught a glimpse of his now dove grey eyes, which meant he was thinking sappy love thoughts, as he pressed butterfly kisses all over her face. _Oh hells, now I am crying, _she thought as her eyes stung with happy tears. _I'm blaming the baby. _

"Obi'ika, I lo..." The words of love she was going to speak were pressed back as he covered her mouth once again with his own.

* * *

Eventually, they managed to part long enough to make necessary but quick trips to the refresher. Satine shrugged back into her robe and he tugged on his undershorts. He dropped the undertunic back on the floor when Satine shook her head and smirked at him.

_If she wants to stare at my scar riddled body, who am I to stop her?_

Dodging a small hurricane's worth of Jedi clothing that half covered the floor, Obi-Wan made his way back towards the bed that Satine had already chased the droid off of. She was sitting up in it with her legs under the blankets and her back resting against a mound of pillows pushed up to the wall. He paused at the little table and grabbed the platter, the half full goblet, and Satine's present.

Then put them all back down again as he frowned at the second goblet.

He took the empty goblet to the 'fresher and filled it with water from the tap, and then made his way back to the little table. The present went on a tiny free corner of the platter that wasn't even remotely big enough for it and a deft balancing act ensued as he picked up the platter and the second goblet.

Satine watched all this with an amused smile, the first vestiges of giggles being held in by her covering hand so as not to hurt his manly pride. "My hero," she said with something resembling sincerity as she held the blankets up for him to slide under, since his hands were very much full.

He snorted. "Hardly."

She smirked as she carefully took the water filled goblet and placed it on the nightstand beside her. "No, really, love. You just conquered the art of carrying food AND remembered that I shouldn't drink. I'm impressed." She took the platter of fruit and berries from him and balanced it on her knees.

Obi-Wan nodded regally, a faint blush brightening his sculpted cheekbones. "Thank you." He settled against her side, copying her position, his back cushioned by the lone pillow she hadn't claimed for herself. (He honestly didn't mind, though; her bed was a million times more comfortable than almost every other place he'd slept, even with only one pillow between him and the wall.)

Plucking the small, wrapped box in her favourite shade of deep metallic purple off of the platter already in her lap, he handed it to her with a flourish. "For you, my dear. Happy Life Day."

Satine took the little present, shooting him a look of adoration. _Bonus points. So many bonus points. The man is on fire today. _

Obi-Wan sipped at the wine that he'd definitely be drinking on his own now while he watched her tear into the wrapping paper, revealing a small white plastic box.

She raised a brow at the box. It was no jewellery box, as she'd been expecting. If anything, it looked like a sample box that scientists use. _He just lost a hundred points. _

"Just open it," Obi-Wan said, stifling the urge to chuckle at her look of frowning confusion.

So she did.

And she gasped.

_I take it back. He just EARNED a thousand points. _

Inside the box, on a bed of dried yellow flower petals, was a pale gold ring inset with a fingernail sized crystal that literally glowed a rich amethyst purple. It was bright enough to cast faint shadows in the already bright room. She was afraid to assume, but she had to ask. "Obi... Is this a Kyber crystal?"

He smiled at her, showing lines of gleaming teeth, looking very white compared to his copper beard and moustache, as he carefully grasped the ring and slid it onto the ring finger of her right hand. "It is. It was also a clear white when I found it a few months ago and intended to keep it as a spare in case Anakin or Ahsoka manage to lose their lightsabres yet again. I had it in my belt for a while and I was very surprised when I finally remembered to take it out that it had turned green. As you know, they don't usually pick a colour until they bond with a Jedi, and I can tell you that I haven't bonded with this one. My current Kyber crystal would be gravely insulted if I did. Also, all of the crystals I've bonded with have turned blue."

"So how is this one purple now?" Satine was fascinated, and still confused as to why he'd give it to her. She couldn't take her eyes off it as she held her hand up before her.

"I'm getting to that," he said as he stole a rainbow berry from the platter, reminding her that it was still perched on her knees and almost entirely untouched. Satine nibbled on the fruit as he continued his story, alternating between looking at him and gazing at the fascinating crystal that seemed to gleam at her cheerfully.

"So I did some experimenting, trying to figure out how and why this one had taken on a colour. It turns out that it takes on the preferred colour of the strongest Force presence near it, disregarding myself since it could feel that I didn't particularly want or need it after I carried it around for so long. Maybe it was blue for awhile and then gave up, but I'll never know. It appears to be more clever than an average Kyber crystal, which are smart enough, believe me. So out of curiosity, after watching it turn blue, or green, or even purple, I looked at it after an encounter with Ventress. Guess what colour it was."

_That one's easy_. "Red?"

"Right. That's when it occurred to me that this crystal had a much more useful job than to be just another crystal in a lightsabre. This crystal could tell you if danger was near and I knew it was meant for you. It might bond to you eventually and stay purple, but I'm sure you'll like that. In the meantime, you have your very own Dark side detector."

Satine leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "I love it, Obi. Thank you. I think I'm going to consider this the engagement ring you never gave me." _I look forward to the day I can wear it on my left hand._

"Hey!" he said in mock affront. "You married me with the Mandalorian vows on the spur of the moment. How was I supposed to anticipate that and come up with a ring for you while we were running around in the wilds of Draboon?"

Satine giggled. "You know I'm just teasing you."

Obi-Wan kissed her nose and grinned back at her. "I know."

He finished his wine in a few gulps and then put the goblet on the bedside table on his side. Then he took the platter and the box and added them to the table. "Now... I have two hours left before I have to leave so I'm back at the Temple before the kids get there." He wiggled his eyebrows at her suggestively. "I believe I promised to let you restrain me with that new toy droid?"

Satine's smile turned catlike. "Yes, you did."

Obi-Wan stretched out on the bed and put his hands together above his head. "Do your worst, my Mandalorian Minx."

_I am so looking forward to it. _

* * *

_Mando'a translations:_

_Shabla mir'osik = screwed up dung for brains. _

_Bic cuyir an staabi = It is all right._

_Aliit cuyir or'atu jaon'yc = Family is more important._

* * *

**A/N: This sex toy droid idea was something I promised to do for a reader, Baraqel, a long time ago. It was supposed to be about Ahsoka and Lux, with Ahsoka being the one who got stuck, but I never got around to writing it into any of my stories and couldn't see myself doing so anytime soon with how much I have going on. It did seem like a perfect addition to this story, though, so I hope that reader sees this and appreciates that I tried.**


	5. The Truth is Discovered

**A/N: Only a 200 or so more words added to this one, but they're important ones. (Especially Obi-Wan's thoughts at the end of the chapter.) I'm now working on our Grand Finale for this story. Hopefully will post in the next 2 or 3 days. (No guarantees though, if it becomes another epically long chapter. lol) **

* * *

**The Truth is Discovered:**

The slender thighs clamped around his ears had started trembling, prompting the Commander of thousands of his clone brothers to apply himself to his task a little faster.

Her panting cries of, "Oh, stars!" and "Kriff, kriff, kriff," were slowly morphing into a continual high pitched whine of his name.

He glanced up as his tongue went triple time on her clit and he added a third finger to her soaked passage, humming in approval at the visible shaking of her stomach muscles and her blissed out, heavy lidded gold eyes as she gazed back down at him.

That hum against her clit was enough to send her over the edge she'd been hovering on. He was graced with a view of her slender neck above heaving breasts as she tipped her head back and screamed, "Coooddddyyyy!" His fingers were squeezed in a death grip and drenched in her release, prompting a corresponding throb of anticipation in his more-than-ready-for-action cock.

As Riyo's sexy little blue body relaxed into a boneless state, he kissed her clit one more time lovingly, then Cody crawled upwards until their bodies were aligned perfectly and he kissed her hungrily for a minute, sharing her decadent taste.

By the time he was done kissing her back to life, her arms had found their way to his shoulders and her hands were caressing his back and scalp in appreciation. Cody was grinning as he pulled his mouth away from hers, golden brown eyes alight with desire and love. "Ready for more, sweet?" he asked in a rumble, nudging his knob against her hot core.

The young Senator of Pantora smiled like a tooka as she arched her back, rubbing her peaked nipples against his hard chest. "I'm always ready for more, my handsome mate, and you know it."

Cody basically growled as he hooked his hands over her shoulders to hold her still as he surged into her soaking, tight pussy. "Frag, Ri, this never gets old," he grunted after a couple of thrusts. She looked like an expensive dessert with her cornflower blue skin, gold eyes, yellow stripes on her cheeks (and other, more interesting places), light purple lips, and pastel hair made of spun sugar tangled all over the pillow. He wanted to lick her from head to toe all over again.

"For me, either," she panted back, nails digging into the muscles of his back as his rhythm found a steady pace that hit her just right.

He smirked and was just lowering his head to kiss her again when the comm on his vambrace chimed. Cody stilled and glared over at the pile of white and orange striped armour that was currently residing on the floor of her bedroom. "It's my one kriffing afternoon off this quarter. Can't they leave me alone?" he muttered, prompting a giggle from his partner.

When the comm kept on chiming insistently for an entire minute, Cody growled out a, "Haar'chak," and pulled out of his haven of bliss so he could stomp over to the armour and answer the bloody, annoying comm.

Riyo was giggling softly behind him, ogling his backside as he bent over, he just knew it. Not that that was a problem; she could ogle whatever she liked. But he had a bad feeling about this call and hated the idea of his rare and few hours of wedded bliss being interrupted.

Stabbing a finger at a blinking button, Cody growled out, "Yes?"

Whoever was on the other end of the call must have been somewhat taken aback by his tone, because it took a few seconds to get a response. Eventually, a voice that sounded almost exactly like his answered tentatively. "Um. Yes. I'm sorry to disturb you, Sir. But we have a situation with Captain Rex and Commander Tano that you might want to deal with before someone like that tattletale Tarkin finds out and blabs to the Jedi Council."

Raising an eyebrow in curiosity, Cody glanced at Riyo and got a puzzled shrug in return. Rex was his brother, and Tano was Riyo's friend, but that didn't mean they knew everything about them. "What is it?" Cody didn't even bother trying to guess which of his thousands of brothers was talking to him. Without a visual aid or a familiar voice that he'd heard a thousand times like Rex's, he hadn't a clue to work with. And he refused to turn on the holo option since he was rather naked at the moment.

"I'm on duty in the security center at the base right now, and I was flipping through the camera feeds when I happened to catch a glimpse of Commander Tano dragging Captain Rex into the men's refresher in one of the training gyms."

Cody grunted. That was fairly disturbing, but not too awful. Tano was rather handsy and maybe Rex had a booboo that she wanted to take care of or something. "And?"

"Well, Sir, that was three hours ago. They haven't come out yet."

_Oh, shit. Tano isn't even of legal age yet. This is bad._ "You're absolutely sure?"

"Yes, Sir. I have been watching that security camera nonstop ever since. They're still in there."

"Shabla hells."

"Yes, Sir."

Cody pinched the bridge of his nose as a headache started to pound in his temples. It was bad enough that he was sneaking around with a female whenever he could; having Rex doing the same was bound to get noticed eventually. And with Tano, of all people. General Skywalker would skin Rex alive if he found out.

Hoping this was just some sort of misunderstanding, Cody asked, "How were they acting before they went into the refresher?"

"Very, ah, touchy feely, Sir. Do you want to see for yourself?"

_Not really. _"Yes. Send the footage to my comm."

Cody backed up and sat on the bed, his erection very much deflated. Riyo wrapped her arms around him from behind, soft breasts pressing into his back, and tucked her chin onto his shoulder as he held his vambrace and they watched the security footage.

Ahsoka walked into the gym with many packages, which she handed off to some of the 501st brothers, who promptly took off, leaving her and Rex alone. They watched as she gave him a gift, hugged him, and then proceeded to chase him around the training equipment and tackle him, ending up on his back. "Geez," Cody muttered. Not even he would have been able to resist a female if they were clinging to him like that.

He glanced over his shoulder at Riyo and found her smirking at him, the knowledge of the first time she'd leapt on him in the Senate building as he accompanied General Kenobi for some reason or other flashing into both of their minds.

* * *

_"General Kenobi, may I borrow your Commander for a minute? I need something heavy moved in my office and could really use a pair of strong hands."_

_"Sure, Senator Chuchi," he waved them off, intent on his conversation with the Duchess of Mandalore._

_Mentally shrugging to himself, sure his General didn't need his presence to woe his girlfriend or whatever she was to him, Cody went with the little blue Senator from Pantora, following behind at a respectful distance that had the added advantage of giving him an optimal view of her shapely rear end in her figure hugging dark gold dress. A few hallways later, he was in her office. _

_She turned to him and smiled sweetly, showing pretty, white teeth. "Do you mind taking your helmet off, Commander? I hate that you're all made to be more like droids than humans."_

_Cody shrugged, warming up to the tiny Senator at her sympathetic opinion. "Sure." He pulled his helmet off and set it on her desk. "What did you need help moving?" He glanced around, wondering if she wanted to move a bookcase or something, since he didn't see any boxes or anything like that. _

_Chuchi smiled in a very tooka like fashion, sending a thrill of alarm through Cody. "Oh, there's nothing to move. I just wanted to get you alone."_

_"What?"_

_That's all he got out before the tiny female literally leapt at him, wrapping her arms and legs around him and plastering her mouth to his. _

_Cody blinked in shock as he received his very first kiss and then moaned at her taste as her tongue invaded his mouth. His eyes closed and he found himself clutching her form to his with a bruising grip and he kissed her back, quickly learning the mechanics of the act by trial and error. _

_Her purring moans had him inspired and hard as a rock behind his codpiece in what felt like seconds. _

_After minutes of near frantic kissing, Cody tore his mouth from hers and gawked at the girl clinging to him. "Not that I'm complaining, but why me?"_

_Chuchi reached up and traced the lips that she'd made all puffy and red before travelling up his cheek and tracing the scar around his eye. He closed his eyes and moaned with the pleasure of her touch. He'd never felt anything so gentle before in his life. "Because you're my mate."_

_Cody resumed gawking. "I'm what?"_

_She smiled at him in that sweet way again. "My mate. Pantorans know their soulmates the first time they meet them. It's like a shot of heat to the heart that can't be ignored."_

_Cody shuddered out a sigh as she continued to pet his face. He wondered how in the galaxy he was going to make this work, but there wasn't a thought in his head to deny her. If she wanted him for a mate, then he would be the best husband he possibly could for as long as he had left. "Wow. Okay. If you're sure you want me, I'm yours."_

_"I'm sure."_

_And then her mouth was back on his. _

_Some fifteen minutes later, a rather shocked and sated Cody returned to his General, very glad that he had a helmet to hide his kiss swollen lips and the dazed expression he just knew was in his eyes. General Kenobi hardly even noticed his return, still bickering with the Duchess over some political debate that had them completely oblivious to the rest of the people walking around the atrium and smirking at the two people who clearly couldn't take their eyes off each other. _

_Cody now knew how his General felt. And Skywalker too, if the way the young Jedi gazed at Senator Amidala like an adoring puppy was any indication._

* * *

And apparently Rex had fallen to the same love virus. They were all just a bunch of saps. Happy saps, but saps nonetheless.

Trying to ignore the small, soft hands that were caressing his chest and playing with his nipples, Cody resumed his conversation with the unknown brother in the security center. "You still there?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Comm me the instant they emerge. I'm going to have a talk with Rex."

"Yes, Sir."

"And keep this to yourself. We don't need to bring the wrath of the Council or the Senate down on Rex's head right now."

"Of course, Sir."

"And see what you can do about erasing that footage. Get help from one of the slicers if you need to."

"No need, Sir. I've already done it."

Cody grunted again in approval, then promptly sucked in a breath as a wandering hand found his reawakening length. "What's your name, soldier?"

"Canny, Sir."

"Appropriate."

Cody could hear the smile in his brother's voice as he said, "Yes, Sir," once again.

"I can always use a smart brother in the 212th if you're interested in a transfer that comes with a little more excitement than watching security footage all day," Cody offered, wanting to keep the brother who knew Rex's secret as close as possible.

"I would, Sir. Thank you, Sir," Canny gushed.

Cody smiled. "I'll take care of it when I get back to the base. Report to the 212th barracks first thing in the morning with your kit."

"Yes, Sir!"

Cody turned off the comm and tossed his vambrace back in the pile. He'd call General Kenobi in a bit and let him know they had a situation. If Rex had taken up with anyone but Tano, he wouldn't have bothered Kenobi with it, but the fact that it was the little Padawan was going to be a problem that was going to require more people in on the secret to help keep it hidden from Skywalker.

Cody really didn't want to see his favourite brother skinned alive.

But first, he had some more pressing business to take care of; his secret wife had done an admirable job of bringing his erection back to throbbing life with her clever hands.

He reached behind him and manhandled her into his lap, prompting a happy squeal. Kissing her soft mouth, he pushed up into her welcoming heat and she wrapped her arms around his neck again. Pulling away, he smirked into her dilated eyes. "Now, where were we?"

Riyo grinned back and undulated on his lap until he was buried to the hilt. "Right here, I think."

He pressed kisses along her jawline as she rose and fell on him in a steady rhythm. "I do believe you are correct, my sweet Ri'ika," he rumbled into her delicate ear, burying his nose in her mass of messy purple hair, before latching onto her neck and sucking on the spot that made her clamp around him.

Fifty wonderful minutes later, she was keening his name for the fourth time and Cody was just about ready to explode when the comm chimed again.

"Bloody everlasting hell," he growled, ignoring it and pounding up into her depths as hard and fast as he physically could.

"Love. You. Co. Dy," Riyo panted with each thrust that kept her orgasm going.

Cody clutched her hips with bruising force and clenched his teeth on a groan as he erupted into her, feeling like his sack was attempting to join his spine with the force of his release.

When he could breathe again, he leaned forward and brushed her hair out off to the side, kissing her neck softly. "Love you too, Ri."

She craned her head around and kissed him back, then she crawled forward on trembling limbs to flop face first into the pillows. "You better get that," she mumbled, talking about the comm that hadn't quite chiming yet.

Cody huffed and forced himself to his feet, _Why in hells didn't I leave the fragging vambrace on the bed with me?_ He stumbled over to the pile of armour and grabbed the offending arm piece, stabbing the button with unnecessary force. "Yes?" Fairly sure of who it was, he tried not to sound as grumpy as the last time he'd answered, but he doubted he succeeded.

"Sorry to disturb you again, Sir, but you asked to be alerted when Rex and Tano emerged. And this time Captain Rex is devoid of his shirt."

Cody sighed. "Thank you. Erase that too."

"Already done."

"Thanks, Canny. I'll see you in the morning."

"Yes, Sir."

Cody dropped the vambrace and then scrubbed his hands over his face. _Frag, I do not want to deal with this._ But he would, because that's what he did.

He reluctantly started getting dressed, pulling on his black undershorts. Glancing over his shoulder, he found his mate sitting on the bed, hugging her legs with her chin resting on her knees. "I have to go."

"I figured as much."

"I'm sorry to cut our day together short."

"It's okay. I understand."

Cody bent down to snap on a shin guard. "Did you know Commander Tano had a thing for Rex?"

"Maybe? I've seen her looking at him the way I look at you, but I never thought she'd act on it, being a Jedi and all."

Cody barked out a laugh, snapping on his other shin guard. "That's no deterrent. The Generals are every bit as in love as I am."

Riyo's mouth fell open. "What, with each other? I knew they were close, but not that close."

Two blinks later, Cody had to stop attaching armour to his bodysuit, he was laughing so hard. After a minute, he wiped his eyes, regaining control. "No, not with each other. With the Duchess and Amidala."

"Oh." Riyo pouted becomingly. "I kind of fancied the first idea, actually. Kenobi and Skywalker would be so cute together."

Cody chuckled. "I might have to tell them that. Maybe the next time they're drunk. It'll be safer that way. And funnier."

Riyo snorted elegantly.

Cody grabbed his helmet and walked over to her, leaning down and tilting her face up to his with a gloved finger under her chin. He kissed her long and deep, until they were both quite breathless. Gazing into her big gold eyes, he stroked the lines on her cheek. "Until next time, sweet Ri. I'll comm you later and let you know how it all goes."

She nodded. "I have a Life Day party to go to this evening at Padmè's, but it should be safe for you to call me after midnight. I don't intend to stay all night."

He kissed her again, quickly. "I will."

Standing up tall, he gave her one last look of adoration before leaving her bedroom and letting himself out of her apartment.

As he rode the elevator down, he commed Kenobi. It took long enough for the man to pick up that he was already in the parking garage when he finally answered. Cody was not surprised when the holo didn't pop up.

"Yes?"

Cody felt like he was living in a reverse déjà vu as his General answered the comm with the same grumpy voice that Cody had used on his brother.

"My apologies for disturbing you, General, but we have a problem," he said grimly and then he did a double take at a familiar blue and gold speeder. Cody was nearly laughing as he explained the situation to Kenobi, shaking his head at Skywalker's speeder and walking on.

One row of speeders later, he spotted a dark blue model that looked like one of the dozens that were available for the Jedi to use, and had Cody nearly busting a gut to not laugh out loud.

The generals were both here, canoodling with their girlfriends, partners, mates, wives, whatever. (One day, he hoped to find out the answer to that little question.)

The fun part was that Cody was pretty sure that the generals didn't know that the other had a love life because they would be inclined to keep it a secret since it wasn't allowed.

When he was done talking to Kenobi, Cody climbed into his own plain grey military issue speeder and took off for the base to confront Rex.

* * *

Obi-Wan was enjoying his last few minutes of snuggle time with his wife before he had to leave to start dinner on schedule.

Satine was wrapped around him, her bare silky body feeling like heaven on top of his. They were both thoroughly worn out and relaxed after Satine had practically loved him to death while the toy droid held his over-stimulated body still. She was breathing softly against the skin of his shoulder, bonelessly asleep, but still managing to cling to him at the same time in a wonderful contradiction of actions.

He had his chin tucked on top of her golden locks and one hand was whispering up and down her back, while the other had settled on her rounded hip possessively. Obi-Wan wished he could stay exactly like this for the rest of his life and tell the war and the Council to go hang itself.

As he closed his eyes and concentrated on Satine's Force signature and the tiny new one that lived within hers, he was seriously considering doing just that anyway.

A father should be with his wife and daughter, not fighting a pointless war that looked like it had no intention of slowing down anytime in the next decade.

He stared up at the white ceiling, mind whirling, imagining everyone's reactions to the news of him leaving the Order to go live on Mandalore with Satine.

A few would congratulate him, like Kit and Quinlan. A few wouldn't care one way or the other. Some would be disappointed, like Master Yoda. Windu would rage at him, most likely. And Anakin... Anakin would probably have a fit.

Obi-Wan was looking forward to telling Anakin the least.

_Should I tell him first, or last? Which was the lesser of two evils?_

An insistent chiming from the depths of his very scattered pile of clothes disrupted the Jedi from his musings and woke up Satine.

"Wha... What is it, Obi?"

Obi-Wan kissed the top of her messy head as he slid out from under her pliant body and off the bed. "Just the comm, dear. Go back to sleep."

"Ha," Satine said as she shifted around to sit up against the pillows. "You know I'm too curious to ever do that." She was also quite enjoying the view as her husband grumbled to himself as he looked around the room with a furrowed brow, trying to find his hidden belt. He eventually located it under a long beige tunic as it continued to chime insistently.

"I know. Don't even know why I bother to give you orders after all these years," he teased at the same time, glancing over his shoulder as he bent over to pick up the belt and found her eyes trained on his haunches like she'd never seen his arse before. He was smirking when he turned back to his task.

"Because you're you, Obi'ika," she teased back.

He snorted. Because she was right.

Obi-Wan felt a little thrill of triumph when he finally located the correct pouch that held his holo comm device. The holo option was not turned on, however, when he answered the call.

"Yes?" he grunted, displeased with the interruption to his quiet time with Satine.

"My apologies for disturbing you, General, but we have a problem," a clone trooper's voice said grimly; a voice that Obi-Wan could pick out of a line up of similar sounding voices after hearing it so often for the past couple of years.

Obi-Wan raised a brow as he wandered back to the bed and settled under the covers beside Satine again. "And what is that, Cody?"

"It appears that Rex and Commander Tano have taken their friendship to the next level, if you know what I mean. They've been alone together in a men's refresher for nearly four hours."

"Well, shit." Obi-Wan blinked at his circular comm device like it had started sprouting flesh eating vines.

"My thoughts exactly, General."

"Are you absolutely sure, Cody?"

"Very. Saw the footage myself. Our little Commander was most definitely dragging Rex into the refresher. To his credit, he didn't exactly look like it was his idea."

Satine jerked upwards rather abruptly, drawing Obi-Wan's eye, as a conversation she'd had with Ahsoka when the padawan was on Mandalore to 'teach' at the Academy came rushing to the forefront of her mind. Satine had just started a monthly cycle and had been experiencing her usual cursed stomach cramps that plagued her on the first day, muttering about finding more pain killers. They had been walking together through the palace on the way from dinner to the living quarters at the time.

* * *

_Ahsoka looked up at the Duchess in concern. "Do you have a headache, My Lady? You don't have to entertain me for the evening. I can keep myself busy. Homework, meditating, that kind of thing."_

_"No. No. Just the usual period cramps. I'll be fine as soon as I find another shot of painkiller and muscle relaxant. I'm looking forward to hearing more of your stories of your adventures with your Masters."_

_"Period cramps?" The girl had looked confused for a moment before her face lit with understanding. "Oh. You mean the human menstrual cycle."_

_Satine laughed. "Yes. That. It's dreadful. I take it togrutans don't menstruate?"_

_Ahsoka shook her head, smiling. "No, My Lady. In fact, most species don't. Humans are weird."_

_Satine laughed again, discomfort temporarily forgotten. "I suppose we are. Do togrutans have anything else they have to deal with that humans don't instead?" she asked out of curiosity._

_Ahsoka shrugged. "There's the monthly mating heat, I suppose. Although, there aren't very many who would consider that an inconvenience." She giggled. "I've heard that mated couples quite look forward to it." _

_"And the unmated ones as well, no doubt," Satine added, deadpan. _

_Ahsoka gave her mock look of shock. "I wouldn't know. I'm not old enough yet." she protested jokingly before sobering. "Actually, I think many who don't wish to engage in... things... simply take a tranquilizer. It allows the females to function as normal."_

_"Hmmmm." Satine said. "So, what you're saying is that your females need monthly drugs much like us."_

_Ahsoka laughed. "I guess you're right. We're not so different."_

* * *

"Obi," Satine whispered, leaning over to talk in his ear so the comm didn't pick up her voice. "Do you know about togrutan mating heat cycles? And if so, is Ahsoka old enough to start hers?"

Obi-Wan's eyes nearly bulged out of his head as he shook it slowly. He cleared his throat in discomfort, not wanting to picture Ahsoka experiencing anything that even remotely resembled adult situations. "Uh, Cody, I'll talk to her. See if you can corner Rex and get his side of the story. For the moment, we keep this quiet and don't punish them for it. I have a feeling that there's more going on than we know."

"Yes, Sir. I was going to find Rex anyway."

"All right, Cody. I'll see you in the morning."

"Yes, Sir. Enjoy the rest of your day."

Obi-Wan eyed the comm device suspiciously. Had Cody put a little too much emphasis on the word, 'enjoy'? He snorted lightly under his breath, lips twitching upwards. He wouldn't put it past Cody to have figured out that he was in a relationship with Satine; the clone was one of the smartest beings he'd ever met.

Obi-Wan heaved an exaggerated sigh and put an arm over his eyes, flopping back onto the pillows. "Satine. What if you're right?" he muttered. "What if our little Soka is growing up and getting frisky?"

"Obi."

"Anakin is going to have a nerf when he finds out. Maybe he shouldn't find out. Maybe Cody, Rex, and I can keep this just between us."

"Obi."

"I'm sure I can talk Rex into being her monthly toy if she hasn't done it herself already. Ugh. Did I just say that?"

Satine giggled. "Obi."

"What about Master Ti? Does she shag a clone every month? Or a bunch of them? Is that why she's so happy with her post on Kamino?"

"Obi." More giggling.

"Force. Does Yoda know? Does Windu?"

Satine pushed his arm off his eyes. "OBI!"

He turned his head and glared at her. "What?"

"Ahsoka can take tranquilizers. She doesn't have to shag anyone if she doesn't want to."

"WHAT?!" Obi-Wan surged off the bed in a fit of adrenaline. "Why, that little... something. Oh, is she going to get it." He started pulling his clothes on in frustrated, jerky motions. "And where in the hells is Anakin? He's supposed to be at the base with her. What the kriff is he doing letting our Padawan do as she pleases, fragging Rex in a refresher? I'm going to kill him. I'm going to kill them both. And then I'm going to make them sit still for once in their lives and meditate for a whole day straight until they're begging me to forgive them. And begging me not to tell the Council. Frag."

Obi-Wan stormed to the door of her room, doing up his belt as he essentially stomped instead of walked.

Satine just stared with wide eyes at the sight of her husband in a snit. It was quite a turn on to be honest. He hit the button to open the door, then paused, shoulders lowering slightly. He turned back and stomped over to the bed, kissing her rather roughly, and then turned back around. "I'll comm you later, Satine. Sorry for leaving like this but I have to go make dinner for my not-long-for-this-life Padawans. I'm inclined to burn it on purpose," he added in a barely audible grumble as he walked out of her room, his usually silent steps still making as much of a racket as possible on soft carpet as he left.

After she couldn't hear him anymore, Satine put her hand on her stomach, rubbing it lightly as she chortled to herself. "Well, daughter, I will tell you this; I don't recommend telling your father about any dates you have until you're about twenty. And even then, probably best to go light on the details. Something tells me he won't take them very well."

* * *

Obi-Wan was in the lift on the way down to the parking garage, still wondering where the kriff Anakin was when he got the bright idea to see if he could locate his missing ex Padawan through their bond. It was a simple hide and seek exercise they used to play when Anakin was a child that came in handy during missions when one needed to locate the other in a hurry or the comm systems were down.

Obi-Wan paused the lift so he could concentrate better without the sensation of swift movement throwing him off. Then he closed his eyes and followed his Force bond to one extremely bright glowing presence known as Anakin Skywalker, The Chosen One.

His eyes popped open and his head shot upwards glaring up through the ceiling of the lift as if he could see right through it. _What the kriff is Anakin doing in Amidala's apartment? And so close to her?_

Growling, Obi-Wan sent the lift back upwards. When it stopped at Padmè's floor, he stomped out and over to the ornate doorway and rang the bell. About thirty seconds later, the door was opened and the peeved Jedi was greeted by a gold protocol droid.

"Good evening, Master Kenobi, Sir. Can I help you?"

"Hi, Threepio," Obi-Wan said as he tried to look around the droid that was somehow managing to block the entire doorway. "Is Anakin here?"

If the droid could gulp, he would have done so. "Master Ani, Sir?"

"Yes. Who else? Is he here?"

"Um. Well..."

Obi-Wan decided to put the poor droid out of his misery. "Don't bother. I know he's here. What is he doing here? The Senator's party isn't until later, and he's not even supposed to be at it."

Obi-Wan tried to push past the droid, ready to drag the young man out by his ear if he had to, but Threepio had somehow turned into an immovable force. He narrowed his eyes at the droid. "Let me pass, Threepio."

"I'm sorry, Sir. But I have orders. The Master and Mistress are not to be disturbed."

"Oh they're not, are..."

"ANNNNIIIIII!"

Obi-Wan's mouth snapped shut at the moaning cry that drifted down the hallway. He turned rather red and backed up abruptly. "Force. I'll talk to him later," he mumbled.

Threepio gave him as apologetic a look as an expressionless droid can. "I did try to warn you, Sir."

Obi-Wan nodded stiffly. Now that he wasn't concentrating on his own indignation, he could practically feel Anakin's pleasure through their bond. He blockaded Anakin's presence from his mind with an imaginary wall of durasteel about a hundred metres thick. "Has this been going on long?"

"I am not sure what you mean by long, Master Kenobi, but the Master has visited the Mistress as long as I have been here on Coruscant. Or if you are referring to today..."

Obi-Wan held up a hand to stop the droid before he went into details. _Holy shite on a volcano! That's practically two years! How in the Force have I missed this? _"Thank you, Threepio," he said tightly and quickly retreated to the lift.

Without really thinking about it, he found himself walking back into Satine's bedroom a minute and a half later. She was still where he'd left her, smiling at the ceiling with her hand resting lightly on her stomach. She sat up abruptly when he entered.

"Obi. You're back?"

He looked at her with rather bleak eyes. "Did you know that Anakin is shagging Amidala?"

Satine nearly swallowed her tongue, choking on the bark of laughter that she forced back down. (Obi-Wan didn't look like he'd appreciate being laughed at at the moment.) "No. But I'm not surprised. Haven't you seen the way they look at each other when they think no one else is paying attention?"

Obi-Wan just shook his head, feeling like an absolute blind idiot.

Sighing in sympathy for her shocked looking husband, Satine extracted herself from the bed and walked over to him, still just inside the doorway. She put a hand on his chest and stood on her toes to kiss him softly. "It'll all work out, love. You can't be too mad at him for doing the same thing you're doing."

Obi-Wan sighed and leaned his forehead against hers, closing his eyes in defeat. "I know. But Force, Tine'ika, this is too many shocks in one day for an old man like me."

Satine laughed softly, nibbling her lips just above the line of his beard and then back across the blade of his cheekbone. "You're not old, Obi. Because if you are, than so am I."

He smiled wanly, cupping her cheek to catch her mouth and kiss her sweetly. "No, darling. You're not old. You're even more beautiful now than the day I met you."

She smiled into his cloudy day eyes. "Thank you, love." She pushed on his chest lightly. "Now go make dinner for your Padawans and try not to be too hard on them when they get home."

He returned her smile, picked up the hand on his chest and kissed the knuckles. "Yes, Milady."

Giving his beautiful, naked wife one last appreciative look, Obi-Wan turned and left her apartment for the last time that day.

He even managed a pathetic chuckle when he walked past Anakin's blue and gold speeder on the way to his own.

* * *

Ahsoka climbed into Anakin's speeder, surreptitiously rubbing the sore spot on her arm from her very recent shots, and stifled a giggle at his mussed hair and somewhat askew robes as he turned the speeder back towards the Temple and then defied the speed limit while weaving through and past traffic, as usual.

_Someone left Padmè in a hurry to pick me up on time._

"Did you enjoy your party at Padmè's, Master?" she asked with a teasing smile.

Anakin shot her a look, because he hadn't actually told her where he was going this afternoon. _How much does my snarky little Padawan know?_ He decided to stick with the lie she'd conveniently provided, just to be safe. "It was just the usual political drivel, Snips. I was bored to tears."

Ahsoka hid a snort in a fake cough at his blatant lie. "I'm sure you were, Skyguy."

"Truly," he said with wide, innocent eyes. "I almost fell asleep at one point."

Ahsoka laughed for real, thinking back on how Rex had fallen asleep for a couple minutes. "I'm sure you did."

Anakin shot her another look and shook his head at her. "Did you enjoy your party with Rex and the boys?"

Ahsoka smiled every bit as innocently as Anakin. "Most definitely. There was holomovies, candy, and roughhousing. What more could a girl want?"

Anakin shrugged as they pulled up to the Temple and he parked his speeder in a hangar. "Beats me. It sounds way better than my party," he said, still keeping up the pretence.

Ahsoka laughed and reached up and smoothed his hair down into something resembling orderly and tugged his robes into place while his face turned red in embarrassment before she hopped out of the speeder. "It looks like you did a little roughhousing of your own, Master," she teased, waiting to see what excuse he'd come up with this time.

"I was just demonstrating a few lightsabre moves on the balcony for the politicians," Anakin said after a moment, striding towards their quarters. "A strong wind picked up at the time."

"Must have been some wind," Ahsoka said straight-faced as she skipped to catch up to his longer legs.

Anakin shot her yet another look. "Oh, it was. Padmè nearly fell over the railing."

Ahsoka turned a snort into a cough again. "Yah, cause the wind called Anakin has an overenthusiastic lightsabre," she said under her breath.

"What was that?" Anakin asked as he opened the door to Obi-Wan's suite where they were going to have Life Day dinner.

Ahsoka blinked innocent eyes at him. "I said: But I'm sure you caught her and saved the day again."

Anakin grinned. "Of course. She was most grateful."

"I'll bet," Ahsoka muttered as Obi-Wan emerged from the kitchen with a tray of tea for them.

"Who was most grateful?" he asked, raising a copper brow.

"Rex," Anakin and Ahsoka said together.

Anakin shot her a look of gratitude. _She is much too clever, but as long as she's on my side, I can't complain._

"He was very appreciative about the new bill," Ahsoka elaborated as she accepted her tea cup and cradled it in her hands as she perched on the edge of a couch. "Though I've sworn him to secrecy until it actually passes. Neither of us wanted to get his brothers' hopes up until it does."

Obi-Wan nodded in approval. "Very good." He smiled charmingly at his Padawan and Grandpadawan. "Now, who wants to go first and tell me the truth about what the two of you have really been doing this afternoon?" He pinned Anakin in his steel blue gaze. "You perhaps? And maybe include what you've been doing in secret with Senator Amidala for the last two years as well." Then he pinned Ahsoka in the same stare. "Or you? Do you make a habit of 'inspecting' the refreshers at the base with Captain Rex for hours at a time?"

"Uh oh," Anakin and Ahsoka mumbled into their tea cups at the same time.

_Wait_._ Ahsoka was doing WHAT with Rex in the refreshers?_ Anakin gawked at his Padawan, but she was staring into her tea cup and visibly blushing, which was hard for her to do, so he took pity on her and blurted out the truth to get the attention back on himself.

But she did the exact same thing.

"I'm married," they said together, in sync as if they'd rehearsed it, neither able to lie to Obi-Wan if he already knew or suspected the worst.

Obi-Wan spat out the sip of tea he'd just taken as both the younger Master and Padawan turned to look at each other in shock. "YOU'RE WHAT?!" rang through the room in unison once again by all three of them.

Feeling like his day had been turned upside down and shaken for an extended period of time, and no longer able to process anything in a reasonable fashion, Obi-Wan started chuckling, his laughter building until his mirth boomed around the room and he basically slid out of his chair, he was laughing so hard.

Looking at each other in alarm, having never seen their Master so loopy, Anakin and Ahsoka came over and stared down at him for a good five minutes. Eventually, Anakin nudged him with a toe to the calf until Obi-Wan gasped for air and forced himself to stop laughing.

"What's so funny?" Anakin demanded.

Obi-Wan grinned as he stood up and straightened his tunic. "I'm married too, to Duchess Satine. I have been for more than thirteen years."

Anakin and Ahsoka gawked at him, looked at each other, then gawked at him again.

Ahsoka was the first to break, giggling and snorting. "Oh, Force. We're so alike, it hurts."

More pleased than he could say with the giant weight of deception lifted off his shoulders, Anakin wrapped an arm around each of his loved ones and beamed at them. "And that's why we're perfect for each other. The Force really does know what it's doing."

Obi-Wan enjoyed the hug for a minute before Anakin's words truly registered, and then he found himself falling back into his chair. _If the Force knows what it's doing, then why am I going to be a father in about eight months? Satine will go through hell with her people if she's not publicly married before she starts to show. She'll still go through hell anyway when they find out that her choice of husband is a Jedi. And the Order still needs me. The war still needs me. _

_Anakin still needs me._

The younger Jedi gazed down at him in concern, wondering why their Master had turned rather green all of a sudden.

"Are you okay, Master?" Ahsoka asked.

Obi-Wan looked up at the identical expressions of concern and shook his head, feeling like his world was spinning off its axis as the grave reality of his situation struck him once again. "No, actually. Satine is pregnant."


	6. Family and Betrayal

**A/N: Well… Remember how I said I wanted to finish this story in time for Christmas? It ain't gonna happen, lol. What I have done is finished this next big chapter. (Yay me). I am clearly incapable of writing anything in the short version, so it looks like you all are getting another chapter and an epilogue after this one. I'm still holding on to the goal of FINISHING this story by the end of the year, though, so keep your fingers crossed for that. (I can spend my Christmas holidays stuck at the computer, I don't mind.) (A little bit of love from you people would help inspire me to keep typing, though, just sayin'. :D) **

* * *

**Family and Betrayal:**

Cody strode up to the door of the 501st's common room and smacked the button to open it with a hair more force than necessary with the hand not currently occupied with keeping his bucket tucked under his arm.

The ten minute speeder ride back from Riyo's apartment building to the military base had given him too much time to work up to a good snit. The eight minute trek from the parking lot to the depths of the base as he tried and failed to raise Rex on the comm hadn't helped the situation much either. He'd eventually commed Canny back to ask him to locate their brother for him so he didn't end up wandering around the base needlessly.

Canny had been very helpful, and Cody was liking the young brother more every time he talked to him.

It didn't help his feelings regarding Rex though.

The predominant thought that he kept circling back to, and was thinking yet again as the door slid open was: _Rex better have a bloody good explanation for his 'activities' today or he's going to find himself demoted to refresher scrubber for the next month. I've lost two shabla hours of my coveted time with my wife because of him and Tano. _

As the door slid open, he found himself staring at the back of the head of the brother in question, the short blond hair being a dead giveaway, since no other clone in the 501st dared to copy their Captain's choice of hairstyle. Rex had his shoulder propped against the deep doorway on the inside and he half turned as the door opened behind him. Rex smiled at him over his shoulder. "Cody! What are you doing here? I thought…"

"Rex…" he started to growl out, cutting him off, but then Cody's eyes registered the multiple wounds on Rex's very bare, very scratched up back, and he lost his train of thought temporarily. _Holy hells! Did Tano do that? Either she's not as sweet as she looks, or Rex has even more explaining to do. He better not have forced himself on her. _

Now even more irate at the unthinkable possibility, Cody tried again. "Rex, what in…" He was derailed again as he took another step forward as Rex turned more fully around. Now he was blinking at the bite marks on his brother's upper front half.

"Impressive, aren't they, Sir?" a brother called from inside the room, sounding ridiculously proud of Rex's 'battle' wounds.

"Uhhhhh," was all Cody could come up with as he dragged his gaze off of a smirking Rex, who still had his arms crossed over his bare chest, and looked deeper into the common room. He found the entire 501st standing at attention in a sea of coloured wrappers, showing him the proper amount of respect, as the opening credits to a holomovie scrolled by on the far wall. _What in hells happened in here? Are those CANDY wrappers? Where the frag did they get candy from?_

_I want candy too, _a tiny voice at the back of his mind chirped out. He ignored it.

"Our little Commander sure knows how to claim her mate," Fives continued cheekily, drawing Cody's and Rex's eyes. "I think we should all sign up for some Togrutan lovin' the next time we rescue a city's worth." Kix smacked him on the back of the head.

"Thank you, Kix," Rex said, glaring at his best arc trooper.

Fives barely bothered to flinch. "What? They're hot."

"I can't argue with that, but you're already doing a terrible job of keeping the secret I just told you a few minutes ago under your bucket," Rex admonished.

Now Fives had the decency to look ashamed, slumping slightly. "Sorry, Sir. I just thought that Commander Cody was safe to tell the secret to, considering he has…"

"Shut it!" Rex glanced around at the curious new shinys pointedly, who, as far as he knew, didn't know Cody's secret yet and it was probably best to keep it that way.

Fives snapped his mouth shut, flicking his gaze at Cody. "Sorry, Sir. But everyone here knows your secret too. The 212th are a chatty bunch."

"Are they?" Cody growled out. _I think my men are doing extra rotations on KP duty this week. _

Sensing Cody's displeasure, Rex put a hand on his arm. "Don't be too mad at your men. You know the 501st and 212th consider themselves to be nearly the same unit."

Cody huffed slightly before a rueful, crooked smile appeared. "I know. We're deployed together often enough thanks to our nearly inseparable Generals." _Must remember to tell Rex about Riyo's assumption about them. He'll love it. _Shaking his head once, Cody got himself back on track and narrowed his eyes at his favourite brother. "As for you, I think you have some explaining to do."

Rex sighed. "Yeah. Just hang on a sec." he turned his focus back to Fives. "Can you pause that movie for a minute while Cody and I talk outside?"

"Sure, boss" Fives said, grinning, happy that he hadn't been scolded further.

"And clean up this mess while you all are waiting," Rex commanded over his shoulder as Cody pushed him out the door.

"Sir, yes, Sir!" came back the cheeky reply from his unit as the door was closing.

Rex leaned back against a wall as Cody gave him his 'speak now or die' look that he'd learned from Kenobi and then promptly straightened back up as the scratches on his back protested. _Maybe I SHOULD let Kix put some bacta on me._ "Right. Why do I get the feeling that you knew about Ahsoka and I before Fives opened his big yap?"

"Because I did," Cody grumbled.

"Kriff." It only took Rex a couple seconds to figure out how. He looked up at the corner where the wall met the ceiling and was greeted by a tiny flashing red light. "The security cameras?"

"The security cameras."

Rex sighed. "Frag. Am I in trouble?"

Cody shook his head. "No. It's contained for now. The brother in the security center who saw you get dragged into a refresher by a young Jedi girl and not come out again for almost four hours is being transferred to my unit first thing tomorrow. Canny sounded like he had a good head on his shoulders and seems to be an excellent slicer, so it was an easy decision. He even did all of the necessary changes for his transfer in the computer systems for me already."

"That's good. And good for you. Competent slicers are rare and always an asset in any unit." Rex relaxed slightly, not realizing how tense he'd been until he did. "Anyone else know?"

Cody shot him an apologetic look. "I thought it best to inform General Kenobi as well, considering he's the only one who has a chance of controlling Skywalker if he finds out by accident somehow."

Rex tensed all over again. _Unfortunate, but he's probably right. _"How did he take it?"

"About the same way I did; pretty much dead shocked. What were you thinking, Rex? She's not even sixteen yet!"

Rex shrunk inside himself slightly and he slumped back against the wall again, not caring if his scratches stung anymore because he felt like he deserved the pain. "I know, Cody! You think I don't know that? You think I didn't try to control the situation? I know she can't, and I can't! And I tried. Manda knows I tried to deny her."

Cody found a little sympathy creeping in as Rex all but broke down in front of him. "Then how?"

Rex glanced at him before staring down at his boots, a flush sweeping up his neck. "She went into mating heat," he mumbled.

Cody blinked at his brother. _Shabla, that sucks. Sort of. I'm sure I heard it in a bar somewhere that Togrutan females can go nearly feral when mating heat is upon them. I would have thought a Jedi Togruta would be able to control it, though. _"That explains the scratches and bites," he said by way of apology. "I guess it was kind of out of your control?"

Rex flushed redder. "Yeah. You could say that. Hers too, as far as I could tell. Poor girl was in pretty serious distress."

"Was it at least any good?" Cody dared to ask. Rex's eyes finally shot up to his and the most contented look that Cody had ever seen on a brother crossed his face. _Whoa. I'm thinking all those bite marks might have been worth it. _

"Oh yeah. It was good," Rex said after a few seconds of remembering the sheer animal passion that had overtaken them. "Better than good."

Dying of curiosity, and thinking fair's fair because he'd spilled a lot of the details of his first time with Riyo to Rex, Cody asked, "How much better than good?"

Rex straightened as he smirked, happy he didn't feel like a first class sleemo anymore. "Let's just say that every one of these bite marks was to muffle a scream."

Cody did a quick count of the visible bites and came up with more than a dozen. "Holy shit!" _That's a lot of orgasms! _

"That's more or less what I was thinking by the end."

Cody took in his brother's look of absolute manly pride and another thought occurred to him. "You didn't… too, did you?" _Surely that's not possible?_

Rex's eyes were literally twinkling as he glanced down at his covered manhood. "Oh yeah. Little Rex was REALLY inspired by the pheromones or whatever she was throwing off." He chuckled as he looked back up at his brother. "You couldn't wake him up with a parade of boobs now, though."

Cody guffawed for a half a minute, Rex joining him with somewhat more restrained laughter. When Cody caught his breath, Rex gave him a conspiratorial look, wiggling his brows. "You wanna know something else that might be even better?"

"What?" _What could possibly top multiple orgasms? _

"Togrutan lekku are prehensile."

Cody blinked as images popped into his mind that frankly had his own cock twitching in interest and had him almost, but not quite, wishing that his wife was of a different species. "Fragging hells," he breathed in awe. "No wonder it's always the twi'leks and togrutans that the slavers are after. How did we not know this?"

Rex shrugged. "I guess we weren't supposed to know things like that. We're not even supposed to have a sex drive, according to the Kaminoans."

Cody grinned. "The fact that we all do has to be the best secret we ever kept from our makers."

Rex returned his grin. "It was like our right of manhood; figuring out that our deecees were for more than pissing and then learning how to control our own reactions during their creepy tests."

Cody grunted in agreement. "Yeah. The new batches of brothers have it so much easier now that word is passed down from batch to batch BEFORE they get themselves 'decommissioned' for being too randy."

"We lost so many of our batch of brothers," Rex said, mood brought back down by the random turn of conversation.

"Poor sods," Cody commiserated. They mourned their unfortunate brothers for a minute, and then Cody shook himself out of it. "Speaking of poor sods, you and Tano owe me some alone time with Riyo. I had to leave early because of you."

"I'm sorry, vod. We'll figure something out. You could go back now if you want; get another hour of fun time in."

Cody snorted. "I'd probably end up just watching her get dressed for most of it. She has that party at Amidala's tonight."

Rex laughed. "I thought you liked watching your little Pantoran get dressed."

Cody smirked. "True. But I'd rather watch her get UNdressed."

Rex wriggled his brows mischievously. "I totally agree."

"Hey! That's my wife!"

"I was talking about my own. Damn near died when Ahsoka started taking her clothes off."

"Oh. Yeah. I can see that." Cody's brows rose. "Did you more or less just tell me that you're married now too?"

Rex's smirk was epic. "I did."

"Woot!" Cody gave him a congratulatory back slap that made Rex wince slightly. "Oops. Sorry, vod. You really should put some bacta on those."

Rex huffed. "That's what Kix said. But I like my scratches. They're a reminder of the best time of my life."

"I can see that. But you could at least cover them with a shirt."

"I could." _But I really don't want to._

"What happened to yours, anyway?"

That 'very satisfied man' look reappeared in Rex's eyes. "Ahsoka tore it off of me."

Cody's raised a single eyebrow. "Worth it."

"Yep."

"I'm sure we can file it under, 'training accident'."

"Thanks, vod." Rex nodded his head at the doorway beside them. "You want to come watch a movie with us?"

Cody shrugged as he said, "Why not? If I can't spend time with my sexy little wife, spending a couple hours with my half naked favourite brother is the next best thing."

"Ahhhhhh. Thanks, bro." Rex felt all warm and mushy on the inside at Cody's affectionate teasing. "At least my lack of shirt isn't going completely to waste," he teased back.

Cody grinned as he hit the button to open the door. "In your dreams, vod."

"Don't you mean yours?" Rex joked back as they stepped into a vastly improved common room and let the door close behind them.

Cody just laughed.

They were waved over to the best couch by Fives and they squashed themselves into the space provided between the three brothers already on it. Cody put his helmet on the floor between his feet and found as comfortable a sprawl as possible considering the lack of space and his armoured body. His brows rose in surprise when a bag of brightly coloured jelly beans appeared in his lap with a thump.

"Found those miraculously unopened and somehow missed in the wreckage," Kix explained from his right. "I figured our boys have had enough sugar, so I confiscated them for you and Rex, Sir."

Cody beamed an appreciative smile at the medic as he tore into the package. "Thanks, vod." Cody nearly groaned in bliss as he popped a lemon flavoured bean into his mouth. _Kriff, I love candy. Best dinner ever. _He held the bag out for Rex to take a handful. "So what are we watching?"

Rex shrugged slightly. "I have no idea. But it has some kids in it about the same age that we should be and a flying, talking dragon."

Cody's eyes lit up as he popped in another candy. _I like dragons. Mmmmmm, grape. _"Sounds good."

Fives leaned over from the other side of Rex. "It IS good. And it's called 'The Neverending Story'

Rex chuckled. "Sounds like a description of this shabla war."

Cody shoved an elbow into his brother's side, inspiring an eye roll and a returned elbow carefully placed between armour plates. "Just start the karking movie," he said on a grunt.

* * *

Ahsoka stared down at her wane looking Master in shock as he buried his face in his hands.

_Master Obi-Wan is going to have a kid? With the Duchess? Now I know the galaxy is going mad. _

_He doesn't look too happy about it, either, poor man. _

_I always thought he was the biggest stickler for the rules. But I guess not. _

_Still, it's got to be hard on him to have such blatant proof that he's been cheating the code. No wonder he looks so pale. _

_And… He's going to have to make some life changes, I think. I can't see the Duchess wanting to raise a child without her husband. She has enough on her plate without that too._

_By the look of him, he's already figured all that out._

_The Council is NOT going to be happy. _

Feeling a great deal of sympathy for her Grandmaster, Ahsoka perched on the arm of his chair and rubbed his back soothingly. "It's okay, Master. We'll help you. We'll stand with you no matter what you decide to do, won't we Anakin." Ahsoka looked up at her young Master when he didn't answer right away and found him staring blankly at Obi-Wan with a hurricane of emotions crossing his face.

Most of them didn't look good.

_Uh oh. _"Anakin? Master?"

And then little flickers of electricity started sparking off his clenched fists as the furnishings in the small apartment startled to rattle in place with a sudden storm of Force energy.

And his unseeing eyes started to glow with a fierce yellow tint.

_"Master!"_

* * *

After blinking past the shock, Anakin's first reaction to his Master's news was joy for the man who was essentially his older brother.

_Obi-Wan will be a great dad. All of the younglings love him and he's the perfect blend of protective and no-nonsense. _

_Hunh. I'm going to be an uncle. Never saw that coming. _

_I wonder what the Council will think about one of their own fathering a child? And being married? Cause you know that's going to get out. I doubt very much that the prickly and prudish Duchess is going to let anyone assume she's having a child out of wedlock. _

_What if they kick him off the Council?_

_What if they kick him out of the Order entirely?_

_Is that what they'll do to all of us if they were to find out that all three of us are married?_

_I guess it's not the end of the galaxy as long as we can all stay together. _

_But how would that work?_

_It wouldn't, and that would suck nerf balls. _

_Obi-Wan would go to Mandalore to be with the Duchess. Mey would want to stay here or on Naboo. And Ahsoka… I guess she would stay wherever Rex is stationed. _

_Rex…_

_The clones aren't allowed to have spouses or even girlfriends. _

_Oh Force. The Republic owns him. He's worse than a slave. They can send him back to Kamino for 'faulty programming' if they want. _

_That would devastate Ahsoka. I know she wouldn't have married him is she didn't love him. I can't let them take Rex away from her, no matter what I have to do. _

_Which will probably put me further on the shit list of the Senate and the Council._

_Because the Republic practically owns me just as much as they own the clones. I feel like all I do is trudge around the galaxy, fighting a karking war that doesn't even make much sense. I'm not a peacekeeper anymore; I'm a fragging soldier. They've turned so many of us Jedi into soldiers. Only a handful of the smart ones ran away from the Republic when the war started. The rest of us are either still fighting or dead. _

_How many Jedi have we lost already to this war?_

_How many clones?_

_I think… I think I might hate the Republic. _

_I do. I. Hate. The. Republic._

_"Master!"_

_"Anakin!"_

Anakin nearly jumped out of his skin as both his Master and Padawan screeched into his mind. He blinked his eyes back into focus and looked at the worried faces sitting below him, nearly huddling together.

He finally felt how much of the Force he was channelling and shut it down with a slam of an imaginary lid. The last spark of electricity on his mechanical hand fizzled out as he looked it in shock, just now feeling the painful twinges in his nerve endings where the mechanics attached to them. _Holy poodoo! What was I doing?_

He ran a trembling hand down his face and then looked at his concerned family with remorse. "I'm sorry. I lost it again. I think worse than ever." Ahsoka nodded slowly, eyes wide and perhaps just a fraction fearful. That hurt him more than anything else could have because he never wanted her to be afraid of him. "I'm sorry," he said again. "I promise not to let that happen again."

"Anakin," Obi-Wan sighed tiredly as he rose to his feet, grasping the young man's shoulder. "We don't blame you for the episodes, you know that. That trip to the Mortis realm unlocked a new level of the Force in you that is just going to take you time to learn to control, that's all."

Anakin slumped in his hold, wishing he wasn't so old that he could lean on Obi-Wan like he used to do as a kid. "You keep saying that, but the episodes are getting more frequent."

Obi-Wan's heart hurt at the defeat in Anakin's tone. He ran a gentle hand over Anakin's messy curls once, sensing he needed to be comforted by him like he used to do, nearly twenty-one years old or not. "I don't think it's your control that is getting worse. I think it's the stress you're constantly under all the time. Can you tell me what you were thinking this time? Was it the news about the baby?"

Anakin exhaled on a shaky sigh of relief as Ahsoka stood as well and tucked herself into his side, wrapping her arms around his middle in a supportive hug. _Thank kriff I didn't scare her away. _He wrapped an arm around her slender shoulders in return and leaned just a little bit closer to Obi-Wan, needing the grounding. He shook his head at his Master. "No, not the baby, not really anyway. I'm very happy for you about it, believe me."

_Thank Force. _Obi-Wan raised a brow as he smiled encouragingly at Anakin. "That's good. I was really hoping for your support with this."

"You have it," Anakin said adamantly.

"Our lives are probably going to be very different very soon," Obi-Wan warned.

"That's okay. Our current lives need an adjustment anyway," Anakin said with a rueful smile. _I'm tired of keeping my marriage a secret. I'm tired of watching other males think Mey is available for wooing._

"All of us?" Ahsoka asked.

"All of us," Obi-Wan said firmly. He took a deep breath as the Force within him gave him a feeling of rightness. "And the Force agrees, I think." He glanced towards the small kitchen. "Come. You two can help me finish preparing our dinner while Anakin tells us about his thoughts that led to his latest loss of control."

The two younger Jedi grimaced.

Ahsoka, because she hated cooking.

And Anakin, because he didn't think they were going to like where his thoughts had gone. (And he also hated cooking.) _But I owe it to them to tell them what's been bugging me. What's taken me till now to fully understand why I am so unhappy in my life despite having a family that loves me. _"All right," he said quietly as they took that first step together. "But you're probably not going to like them."

Obi-Wan looked back over his shoulder, his eyes sparkling blue with mirth. "I haven't liked most of the thoughts and ideas you've had over the years, Anakin, why should these ones be any different?"

Anakin wrinkled his nose at Obi-Wan. "Very funny."

"I thought so," Ahsoka said cheekily from under his arm.

Anakin shot her a mock glare and gave her a gentle shove.

She shoved him right back, grinning, sending him sideways a step.

"Children!" Obi-Wan scolded before they could start an all out roughhousing war. (Which they had done too many times to count, which usually ended up with the furniture needing replacement.)

The younger Jedi shot their Master a vaguely apologetic look and a synchronous, half-hearted, "Sorry."

Obi-Wan snorted in amusement. _I can't imagine my life without those two keeping it interesting._

_Somehow, no matter what happens after this mess is settled, I'm going to have to make it so that we can all still be together as much as possible. _

* * *

Anakin scraped the last of the mashed potatoes and gravy off of his plate with a large piece of fluffy bun and then popped the entire sloppy mess into his mouth.

Ahsoka and Obi-Wan more or less patiently waited for him to finish his second helping of Life Day dinner, both of them having finished their single plateful long ago. (Anakin burned an astonishing amount of calories just by being awake and thus needed a LOT of food to function properly. And not even confessing what amounted to his entire soul to them could curb his appetite.)

Obi-Wan had never wished for Qui-Gon to show up more than he did right now. He'd never felt so much like a failure and he was sure he'd be staying up late for many nights in the future, thinking about what he could have done differently to make the galaxy a better place for his Padawan. _One thing's for fragging sure; my daughter is NOT going to grow up in a world as bad as the one that Anakin has had to endure. _

He'd listened to his former Padawan stiltedly poor his heart out for the first time about every single thing that had been bothering him for the past threeish years, flabbergasted that so much had been contained in a barely controlled pressure cooker of riotous emotions. It had taken nearly an hour for Anakin to come to the end of his sputtering waterfall of grievances. Everything from (but not limited to) the stresses of maintaining a secret marriage with a Senator and ex Queen who had a terrible habit of putting herself in danger's way (Obi-Wan could sympathize with that one.), to resenting the Council for not letting him search for Ahsoka when she'd been taken by the Trandoshan prey hunters, to how much it had wrecked him to have to play the slave to the Zyggerian Queen and just how far he'd had to go to 'please' her (which Obi-Wan had NOT known about), to how much he'd been devastated by being forced to believe that Obi-Wan had died because the Council thought it 'best', to how much he disliked how the clones were treated, and finally, how much he felt like a slave to the Republic.

"So what are you saying, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked gently, chest literally hurting in sympathy with how much pain Anakin had been holding in. A glance at Ahsoka showed her nearly on the point of tears, her hand over her heart as if to hold the broken pieces together. He sent her a little nudge of comfort through their Force bond. (Not nearly as strong as the ones they each had with Anakin, but strong enough to communicate feelings easily, if not actual words.) Ahsoka shot him a grateful, if pathetic smile and sent him a nudge of comfort back. Force knew, he needed it just as much.

For the first time in years (a time-frame that he now realized coincided with the boy's marriage to Padmè), Anakin had fully opened their bond and let Obi-Wan feel him as he talked, and it was all Obi-Wan could do to restrain the urge to fall to his knees by Anakin's chair and beg for forgiveness for not seeing on his own how much Anakin had needed to talk to him all this time. _No wonder he's been having trouble controlling the Force in himself if he's been containing all that angst within. Somewhere along the way, I messed up in stressing how important it was to release his emotions into the Force for safekeeping. _

_Kriffing hells._

_We're lucky he hasn't turned fully Dark already. _

Anakin looked at him from under his brows as he swallowed the last of his bun. "I heard that."

The copper haired Jedi winced. "Oops."

"Heard what?" Ahsoka asked, eyes darting between her Masters.

"Obi-Wan was just thinking that he was surprised that I hadn't turned Dark already," Anakin said matter-of-factly, not resenting what he felt was a fairly obvious truth.

"Oh." Ahsoka grimaced. "I was… kind of thinking the same thing."

"That's okay. I've been so out of control lately, I don't blame either of you. And to answer your spoken question, Obi-Wan, what I think I'm saying with all of this, what I finally just realized, is that I hate the Republic."

"Anakin!"

"You can't!"

"Yes. I can. But if it makes you feel better, I can rephrase that to, 'I extremely disapprove of the Republic's ways'.

"I suppose I can live with that," Obi-Wan huffed. "I do agree that many things need to change. I'm just not sure that we're the people to do it. Your wife has a better chance of bringing about a gradual change of mind than any of us."

"Would Padmè be willing to do that?" Ahsoka asked, now leaning forward on her elbows on the table, looking very hopeful.

"Probably. As much as she can, anyway. The Chancellor rules so much now, it will be hard for even Padmè's persuasive ways to make much of a difference."

"It sounds to me like we need a new Chancellor," Obi-Wan observed. He stroked his beard thoughtfully for a moment. "I have to wonder… How much of everything we've gone through has been done with his approval or encouragement? Has anyone thought of that?"

The three of them looked at each other with wide eyes as a multitude of conversations involving Chancellor Palpatine and their missions filed through their minds.

A minute of contemplative silence later, Anakin admitted, very reluctantly, because Palpatine had always been extra kind to him, at least on the surface, "I think you're right, Obi-Wan. We need a new Chancellor." _I can't believe I just said that. _

* * *

Satine arrived at Padmè's luxurious and massive apartment twenty minutes early so she could spend some uninterrupted time talking to her friend before the party started. She had a few things that she absolutely HAD to tell someone else and the younger senator was one of the very few people she could trust to keep her secrets; namely because she had similar secrets.

The gold protocol droid opened the door for her and Satine smiled at him warmly, unable to contain her excited mood. "Welcome, Duchess. Please come in."

"Thank you, Threepio." She stepped into the main reception area with a wide variety of comfortable seating and an entire wall of glass windows and doors that led to a huge balcony. A quick glance proved that her friend was not in this room.

She only had time to turn her head when the helpful protocol droid said, "Mistress Padmè is in the kitchen, Duchess."

"Thank you." Satine quickly strode for the correct hallway, comfortable with her surroundings, having been to the apartment many times.

She passed open doorways to a massive dining room already set for thirty and then a smaller, more comfortable dining room set up with buffet tables full of appetizers and pretty much any kind of beverage one could hope for. Both rooms had glass walls at the back as well and doors onto the main balcony. She walked into the chef's dream of a kitchen that was rarely cooked in by anything but droids and found her friend giving last minute instructions to a small army of serving droids while she looked over the main dishes for the evening meal and nodded in approval.

Satine patiently waited for Padmè to be finished, admiring the other woman's beautiful blue and gold dress that fluttered around her in wisps of airy fabric as she moved. Technically, she was covered from the neck down, but the many layers of nearly see-through fabric somehow managed to reveal more than it concealed. _Skywalker's going to love that dress, assuming he gets to see it. _The senator's long, chocolate coloured hair was piled on her head in artful curls, and gold combs twinkled from within the mass.

The only flaw to Padme's perfect appearance was a strange ball of white fluff on her right shoulder.

It wasn't until the ball of fluff moved, jumping up to the top of Padmè's head and wandering around on top of the mass of curls that Satine realized that it wasn't a strange ornament, but a living thing. "What IS that?" Satine exclaimed in surprise.

Padmè dismissed the little droids with a wave of her hand and turned towards the woman hovering in the doorway. She smiled as she put a hand up to her head. Allegra obediently climbed onto her palm as she walked. "This is one of my Life Day presents from my wonderful husband." She held the loudly purring kitten out for Satine to see. "Satine, meet Allegra, Snowtoy tooka extraordinaire. Allegra, meet Satine, Ruler of a very complicated people."

Satine laughed. "That's putting it nicely." She cooed over the tiny kitten with the stunning gold eyes, petting it with a single finger due to its small size. "What an adorable thing. I've never been a fan of tookas, but this one, I like."

"You'd have to be pretty heartless to not like her," Padmè said with a grin. "I think she's going to be the star of the party."

"Most definitely." Satine gave Padmè a quick up and down glance. "Although, I think in that dress, you'll be a very close second."

Padmè gave a little twirl, making her dress bell out like a flower that started gold in the middle and flowed into the brightest of royal blues by the end of the petals. "You think?"

"I do. It's gorgeous."

"I picked it for Anakin."

"Of course you did," Satine laughed.

Padmè touched one of the gold combs in her hair. "I was so happy that I had something to match these already. He just gave them to me a few hours ago."

"They're lovely as well. I take it you're his 'Angel'?"

Padmè beamed. "Yes. I always have been. He asked me if I was an Angel for the first time I met him, years ago."

"Smart boy."

The beautiful senator laughed as she led the way back down the hallway. "You have no idea. Only a couple days later, he gave me a simple necklace that he'd carved himself and told me was going to marry me."

"Wow. Did you believe him?"

"I was fourteen and an overly stressed Queen and he was a nine year old ex slave off to train as a Jedi; what do you think?"

Satine barked out a laugh as they settled on one of the couches in the big living area. "I think you gave him a pat on the head and said 'in your dreams kid'."

Padmè giggled. "Close enough."

"How in the galaxy did he end up being right?"

Padmè shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. But he grew up into an incredibly handsome, kind-hearted and brave young man, and he kept saving my life, and things just… happened."

"I bet." Satine smiled somewhat ruefully. "Obi-Wan won me over the same way, more or less, but with us being more conventional ages while he and his Master protected me during that dreadful civil war." She rubbed the softly glowing ring on her right hand. "I don't know who was more surprised when I asked him to marry me; him or me. I don't regret it though."

Padmè cuddled her kitten to her chest and sighed softly. "Neither do I." She nudged her shoulder into the older woman's. "I'm so happy we figured out each other's secrets. It is so nice to have someone to talk to about things that so few know."

Satine nudged back. "So am I. Wait till you're still keeping secrets a decade from now; then you'll really appreciate me," she teased lightly, eyes twinkling.

Padmè laughed. "Trust me, I already do. Speaking of keeping secrets, have you noticed that Riyo seems to be decidedly happier lately?"

"I have. I saw her practically bouncing down the halls of the Senate yesterday. I think she's found her mate."

"I wonder who? Another Senator maybe?"

"Perhaps. Are there any new Senators that fit the timing?"

Padmè frowned for a moment as she thought, then her face lit up. "Onderon has recently been granted a spot back in the Senate and Lux Bonteri is representing now. He's only a year or two younger than Riyo and quite handsome. Maybe it's him."

"Is he going to be here tonight?"

"Yes. We should watch them. See how they interact."

"Agreed."

The ladies sat in silence for a moment as they contemplated secret young love, Satine rubbing her thumb over her new ring the whole time.

Padmè finally noticed the movement.

"What's that?"

Satine looked down at the hands in her lap almost in surprise, not realizing she'd been making the unconscious motion. "Oh. This is my Life Day present from Obi." She showed off the glowing amethyst crystal set in simple gold with pride. "Isn't it beautiful?"

Padmè admired the ring with appropriate awe. "It is. Is that a Kyber crystal?"

"It is."

"It's a particularly symmetrical and nicely shaped one, isn't it?"

"I think so."

"The one in Anakin's lightsabre would never make a decent ring. It's way too big and lumpy."

Satine beamed at her hand. "Obi says that this one is meant for another purpose. That it was meant to be mine."

"Really? That's amazing."

"He says it will pick up the strongest Force presence near it and change colours to reflect that person. So if it ever turns red, I'll know I'm in danger."

"Wow." Padmè blinked at the shining rock.

"I thought so." Satine gazed at her ring with her heart in her eyes.

_Our Jedi sure do know how to take care of us, even if we don't ask for it, _Padmè thought with a fond smile. "The rest of the galaxy might never think so, but I'm eternally grateful I'm married to a Jedi. I'd be dead a dozen times or more otherwise. No one could ever be more dedicated to keeping me alive than Anakin could."

Satine squeezed Padmè's hand as her friend went a little misty eyed. "I know exactly what you mean. And now Obi has an even bigger reason to protect me like I'm made of spun sugar."

Padmè looked at the other woman curiously. "What do you mean?"

The sweetest smile crossed Satine's face. "I mean that I'm pregnant."

Padmè's eyes went positively huge as they automatically flicked to Satine's flat stomach that her elegant, form fitting, amethyst dress did nothing to hide. "No way!"

"Way."

Padmè squealed, carefully put her kitten on the back of the couch, and then enveloped Satine in a tight hug. "Stars, I'm so happy for you! I so badly want children too, but with the war, we've decided to wait for now."

Satine hugged the younger woman back gently. "We were waiting too. Indefinitely it seems. But fate has chosen to take matters into its own hands, and I couldn't be more grateful."

Padmè pulled back, a contemplative look in her eyes. "Maybe it's time 'fate' made a few changes in my life as well. In everyone's lives, in fact."

Satine raised an elegant eyebrow. "Normally I would say, be careful what you wish for, but in this case, I think you're right. The galaxy is more than overdue to be turned upside-down and given a hard shake. The war has gone on long enough and I'm tired of hiding my marriage because of who my husband is."

A fierce look crossed Padmè's face as half-formed ideas that had been percolating in her mind for a long time started clamouring for attention again. "Agreed."

The doorbell chose that moment to ring as if as a signal of agreement.

"And here's the first of our potential accomplices, arriving right on time."

The ladies rose as Threepio let in Senators Bail Organa and Mon Mothma, moving across the room to greet them warmly, a tiny ball of fluff bouncing after Padmè, trying to catch the fluttering fabric of her dress as she moved.

* * *

Half an hour later, the last of Padmè's guests arrived.

Chancellor Palpatine swept into the apartment with his usual polite smile, causing a respectful hush in the animated chatter of the guests that filled room. "I'm so sorry for being late, my dear," he said to his hostess, grasping her small hands gently and kissing her cheek with the barest whisper of dry lips against her soft skin. "I was delayed by a comm call that I could not ignore." _Must keep my war chugging along smoothly, after all._

Padmè smiled warmly. "Think nothing of it. I know you're a very busy man. I'm just happy that you could make it to my small gathering."

He patted her hand fondly, aura of grandfatherly affection firmly in place. "You're such an understanding thing. You have no idea how much I appreciate you."

She blushed lightly, pulling her hand away to press to her chest. "Thank you. You've always been so supportive of my career, how could I do less for yours?"

His smile widened. "You couldn't, of course," he said teasingly.

_Why did that almost feel like a command? _Padmè shook off the disturbing thought and returned his smile. "Anyway, it's nearly time for dinner to be served." She raised her voice so everyone could hear her. "Come everyone, to the dining room. My droids have prepared a lovely nuna dinner with all the fixings for us along with a vegetarian lasagna for those who don't want meat."

"That sounds lovely," Sheev Palpatine said, offering his arm to escort the young woman who'd had such an outstanding political career already, much of it thanks to his influence, but she didn't need to know that.

As they walked unhurriedly through the room, the other guests fell in behind them. He nodded and smiled at all the accumulated senators in Padmè's circle of friends as he passed them. Amidst the quiet chatter as guests moved in small groups, a faint melody that had originally been mistaken for subtle background music and barely registering on the edge of his conscious made itself known in a slightly louder fashion as it changed to a higher pitched whine.

_Why does that sound like a Kyber crystal? _he thought in surprise.

Without allowing his expression to change, Palpatine casually turned his head towards the sound. His eyes landed on the Duchess of Mandalore and he blinked in surprise. _Why in hells would SHE have a Kyber crystal?_

A tiny flash of magenta light on her right hand as she raised a glass of sparkling water to her lips answered his question.

_Ah. A harmless bit of jewelry. Probably doesn't even know what her ring is actually made of._ His smile turned into a fleeting smirk. _Stupid Mandalorian bitch. I can't wait for the day when I can wipe her annoying, stubborn race out of the galaxy. _

* * *

When the Chancellor entered the apartment, Satine made a strategic retreat to a far corner of the room. She wasn't surprised when Allegra followed her after taking one good look at the ruler of the Republic. _Smart tooka. Smarter than her owner, apparently. I don't know how Padmè can stand him. _

She disliked the smarmy old man intensely and tried to avoid actually talking to him as much as possible.

Bending, she scooped the tiny tooka off the floor with her free hand and cuddled it against her chest. Taking advantage of the temporary solitude, Satine swept her gaze over the rest of the assembled politicians. She settled on Riyo, who just happened to be talking to young Bonteri in hushed tones as they stood near the glass wall. Although they were close for the sake of talking quietly, there was nothing in their body language that indicated attraction. _There goes that theory. I haven't seen Riyo look excited about anyone else here either. Who is it then?_

_Maybe I should just ask her. _

Satine snorted softly to herself, inspiring a curious chirp from the kitten. "It's nothing," she whispered to the tooka. "Just thinking to myself that sometimes the easiest way to find out something is to just ask."

Allegra chirped again is if in agreement and snuggled into her hand, closing her eyes and settling in for a nap with a diminishing purr.

_Stars, I might have to get me one of these. I think my heart just melted into a puddle. _

_Then again, with a baby coming, I won't have time for a tooka. I won't have time for a lot of things._

_I wish Obi was here. _

Satine's eyes rose from the sleeping kitten as Padmè announced that it was time to go in for dinner. As she and the Chancellor walked past, Satine avoided meeting his gaze by taking a sip of her water.

She froze with the glass against her lips and nearly choked on the water before she remembered to swallow. _Oh, shab! It's changing colour! _

_By the Manda! There's a Dark side user here!_

_One of these politicians is not what they seem._

She looked at her ring again as the last person went by and found herself following along behind automatically; it was brightening even further towards a proper shade of red even as she watched.

_I'm sure it was still a dark purple as of a few minutes ago. The only newcomer in that time is Palpatine._

_I knew I didn't like him. _

_Everything makes so much sense now. He's been playing us all. _

Taking a deep breath to remind herself to remain calm, Satine came up with the skeleton of a plan by the time she arrived at the dining room.

People were seating themselves around the table in whatever groupings they were comfortable with, but Palpatine had naturally taken the chair at the head of the table. Fortunately for Satine's plan (and peace of mind), Padmè had seated herself at the opposite end and saved a chair to her right for Satine.

The Duchess put her glass down on the table and then hovered beside Padmè as she waited for her to finish exchanging some inane pleasantry about the delights of Nabooan poultry with Organa, who'd taken the seat to her left.

Noticing that Satine didn't sit down right away, Padmè turned towards her. "Is everything all right, Satine?"

Smiling as naturally as she could manage, Satine held the sleeping kitten out for Padmè to see, stroking it with a finger of her right hand, making sure the other woman got a very good look at the now crimson red ring. "I think this little one needs to be put somewhere quiet for the rest of the night, don't you?"

Padmè's eyes widened marginally as she took in the red Kyber crystal. _Oh kriff, that's not good! How is there a Dark side user here? I've known all of these people for years. They're my friends._

_I feel so betrayed. _

_Who?_

Her eyes darted around the table, meeting a few curious looks, before she settled on Satine's. The urgency in the warning look she was giving Padmè made her realize she was taking too long to respond. She looked down at her kitten again and forced a loving smile onto her face. "Of course."

She rose to her feet, raising her voice. "If you'll just excuse us for a moment, my new kitten has finally played herself out. We'll just go put her to bed."

There was a general consensus of indulgent, "Of courses," and "Such a little darling,"

Padmè smiled at her friends gratefully, all the while wondering which one was a fraud. "Thank you, we'll be right back." Turning to the gold protocol droid hovering near the doorway, she said, "Threepio, please have the droids serve the first course."

"Yes, Mistress."

The nearly shaking senator swept out of the room with a silently fuming Duchess hot on her heels. They were silent until they made it through the living room and were striding up the next hallway to the master suite.

"What in the Corellian Hells is going on?" Padmè hissed.

"I'm almost entirely certain that Palpatine is the Dark one," Satine hissed back.

"What?! Have you lost your mind?"

Satine wriggled the bright red ring in her face. "This didn't change until he got here!"

"That's not any sort of proof," Padmè said defiantly as she opened the door to her room and aimed for the huge en suite where Allegra's litter box, food dishes, and bed had been placed. "It could take a while to change."

Satine put the sleeping kitten on the fluffy tooka bed that swallowed her tiny form and then they moved back into the main room. "I watched it change practically in front of my eyes, Padmè. I think that's proof enough."

Padmè sank onto her bed, all the strength going out of her muscles as a foreboding sense of the rightness of Satine's words filled her. _I am such a fool. A pathetic, blind fool._ "Stars, Satine, how could he have tricked all of us? Even the Jedi?"

Satine sat down beside her, wrapping an arm around the other woman's shoulders as she seemed to shrink into herself. "I don't know. But so many things make sense to me now: The war that we just can't seem to stop. The way he's slowly but surely gaining control of everything in the name of a crisis that he's probably manipulated in the first place. The way the Jedi are being killed off one by one as the war drags on. Don't you see? He's manipulating all of it so that the Jedi are losing power and the galaxy is learning to rely on his decisions exclusively. He's setting himself up to rule it all and have people glad he did so."

Padmè felt like she might shake apart as Satine held her. Her eyes stung viciously, but she refused to let herself cry because she couldn't afford to have tear-swollen eyes. "He's been my friend and mentor since I was ten years old. I trusted him," she whispered in a broken voice.

"I know, sweetie. I know."

"What are we going to do?"

Satine brushed away a lone tear that escaped the younger woman's glistening eyes. "You are going to go back out there and act like your entire world hasn't just been thrown upside-down. You're going to act your ass off and smile at that traitorous bastard like he's your best friend and you're going to eat your salad like it's the best thing you've ever tasted."

Padmè sniffed, carefully dabbing at her eyes. "All right. I can do that. What about you?"

Satine stood up and pulled Padmè with her. "I am going to comm my husband and summon the Knights in Boring Brown Robes to come dashing to the rescue with their lightsabres ablazing, since it is highly probable that we have found their elusive Sith Lord for them. And then I'm going to join you at the dinner table and also act my ass off while imagining Palpatine's head on your fancy silver platter instead of the stuffed nuna."

Padmè coughed out a surprised laugh. "Kriff, Satine, I thought you were a pacifist."

The Duchess showed a lot of teeth in what could only be called a feral smile. "In practice, yes. But at heart, I'm still a badass Mandalorian."

Padmè stared at her friend in awe as they walked out of the bedroom. "I've always wondered how you've managed to hold on to your precarious rule for so many years. Now I know."

Satine grinned for real as she slipped into the first guest refresher she saw. "Don't tell the Galaxy."

_I wouldn't dare. _"What about Obi-Wan?" Padmè asked, walking backwards to keep her eyes on the Duchess.

Satine's grin turned into very satisfied smirk. "He already knows. And he loves it." _I wouldn't have married him otherwise. _

As Padmè laughed softly and turned around to walk properly, her shoulders squaring with determination, Satine closed the door and dug out a small, palm sized commlink from a hidden pocket in her skirt. (Not the only hidden thing on her body, by far.)

Turning on the comm, she pressed the speed dial for the frequency she called the most. Obi-Wan's holo image popped up only a few seconds later. Despite the situation, she couldn't help but smile sappily at his handsome face.

"Hello, darling," he said. "You're looking lovely. You know I like when you leave your hair down like that."

"I know."

"How's your party going?"

"That's why I called, actually." She raised her hand and waved her new ring at him. "You probably can't see the colour through the holo, but this just turned red, Obi."

* * *

**Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everybody! **

**Next chapter up as soon as I can manage. (4 days? Less if it's not actually as long as I have a feeling it will be. :D) **


	7. Cleansing of Souls

**A/N: Forgot to mention this in the last chapter… **

**In case you've just been following email notifications (and ignored the reposted chapters that had titles that you already recognized) and haven't checked out the summary of the story lately; I have added thousands more words to the first 4 chapters of the story in my latest writing style. You may want to give them a reread when you get the chance. :D **

* * *

**Cleansing of Souls:**

Like some sort of sign from the Force, not even three seconds after Anakin had reluctantly agreed that many of his problems with the Republic could actually be laid at the feet of the Chancellor in charge of it, Obi-Wan's comm link chimed.

Digging the round device out of his belt swiftly, Obi-Wan looked at the frequency on the tiny readout screen and a soft smile crossed his face, quickly followed by a flicker of worry. "It's Satine."

"Answer it," Ahsoka encouraged, as if Obi-Wan needed it. He didn't; he was already pushing the button to do so.

Obi-Wan drank in the sight of his wife eagerly. Unlike the last time he'd seen her, wearing an epic case of 'I've just been loved to within an inch of my life bedhead' (which he thought was adorable as hell), her long hair hung in a sleek waterfall down her back and over her shoulders, held back from her beautiful face with two small braids pulled back from the temples. What he could see of her body was covered in a form fitting dress of a rich, dark colour that he couldn't give a precise shade to because of the blue tint of the holo. But it left her shoulders bare and showed off her elegant neck and collar bones, which he liked. At her throat was a simple pearl choker with a delicate seashell pendant hanging from the center; a present that he'd given her for their tenth anniversary.

_Force, she's so beautiful. _And he told her so. "Hello, darling," he said. "You're looking lovely. You know I like when you leave your hair down like that."

"I know," she replied softly, hand automatically raising to stroke through the locks of hair hanging over her left shoulder.

"How's your party going?"

Anakin watched his Master interact with his wife with an amused smile. He'd seen the man flirt with countless women over the years, all of them meaningless banter or even bitter sarcasm when talking to the likes of Ventress, but the sincerity in his tone when he talked to the Duchess was frankly a relief to see. _It's good to know that Obi-Wan has such a loving relationship with her when they're not sniping at each other._

"That's why I called, actually," Satine replied. She raised her hand and waved her new ring at Obi-Wan via the holo comm. "You probably can't see the colour through the holo, but this just turned red, Obi."

Obi-Wan's expression froze, and Anakin watched with alarm as his colour paled significantly. "Oh, frag," the Jedi Master breathed.

_Oh, frag? What does that mean? _the young Knight thought. _What's going on? _Anakin glanced at Ahsoka and saw her shrug at him, indicating she had no idea either.

"My words exactly, if you disregard the language it was thought in," the Duchess said with grim amusement.

Obi-Wan swallowed back the feeling of impending doom, ignoring her poor attempt at humour. "Do you happen to have an idea who it changed for?"

She nodded slowly. "Yes. Because he was the last to arrive by a good fifteen minutes and the crystal stayed dark purple until then."

"Do I want to know?" he asked, already visibly wincing.

Satine shook her head, regret and anger all over her face. "Probably not."

Anakin couldn't hold back his curiosity any longer. "Know what?! What's going on? Is that a Kyber crystal? Why is it changing colour?"

Obi-Wan grimaced as his Padawans crowded around him and forced themselves into the holo emitter's scanning range as well.

Ahsoka, putting the clues together faster than her Master, said, "Tell us anyway, Duchess!" with an expression akin to that of a hunter who had just spotted their prey.

Satine raised a brow at her husband, for the moment ignoring the rude young people who had barged into her conversation. "I take it they know about us now?"

Obi-Wan shrugged slightly. "I had to tell them eventually anyway, now that things are going to be changing for us."

Satine huffed, still ignoring the younger ones who were all but bouncing up and down in the elder Jedi's lap like a couple of three year olds. "They handled the news well, I take it?"

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes at the back of Anakin's head with an amused smirk. "Well enough. I'll tell you more later. But if you want to save my sanity, and my thighs, which they're both leaning on, you'll tell us who the crystal changed for first."

"Yes please!" the A's said together like a set of telepathic twins.

Satine shared an amused look with her husband via holo image before her expression fell back into serious. "It's Palpatine."

"WHAT?!" shrieked Ahsoka.

"It can't be," growled Anakin.

"I should have known," Obi-Wan said roughly, putting a hand on the shoulders of each of the young people to settle them down and gently remind them to extract themselves from his person. (The side Anakin had been leaning on was especially starting to hurt) _Boy's kriffing heavy. _

"He always seemed just too kind to me, like he was faking the grandfatherly act just a little too hard." Satine said. "Mix that with an indomitable will that has all of you doing whatever he bids as he wraps you further and further around his fingers… I'm not surprised at all at who it is. I'm pretty sure I found your Sith Lord for you."

Obi-Wan turned his head to look at Anakin with concern as the young man staggered and had to grab the back of his chair to stay upright. Now Anakin was the one looking paler than death. "By the way he's reacting, I'd say you're right. Are you okay, Anakin?"

He put a black gloved hand over his eyes as he shook his head slightly. "Visions," he gasped out faintly.

Obi-Wan put a supportive hand on his arm and looked back at Satine's holo image. "We'll be there as soon as we can."

"That's good. I need to get back before they start to wonder why I'm taking the world's longest refresher break." Satine gave her husband one last look of utter seriousness. "Be careful, Obi."

"I'll do my best," he promised, then turned off the comm link and put it down on the table for now, since he'd need it again in a minute.

Standing quickly, Obi-Wan helped Ahsoka guide Anakin down into a chair as the young man's limbs trembled. He still had a hand covering his eyes and he was grasping his head in a painful looking way as the odd whimper escaped him.

The two upright Jedi shared a look of deep concern. Ahsoka stroked her fingers through her Master's hair soothingly and Obi-Wan kept a gentle grasp on his shoulder, lending his support. He tried to use their bond to see what Anakin was seeing, but ran up against a solid wall of blackness that kept pushing him out. Sighing, Obi-Wan could only wait for Anakin's vision to come to an end.

* * *

At the Duchess' words, something inside Anakin snapped.

He barely caught himself as visions of what could only be the future flooded his mind and battered at his soul.

Visions that he'd seen before, on Mortis, but had been told to forget by the Father.

_Anakin, this afternoon the Senate is going to call on me to take direct control of the Jedi Council._

_Anakin . . . I'm appointing you to be my personal representative on the Jedi Council._

* * *

_You are on this Council, but we do not grant you the rank of Master._

_What?! How can you do this? This is outrageous, it's unfair . . . I'm more powerful than any of you. How can you be on the Council and not be a Master?_

* * *

_They want me to spy on the Chancellor? That's treason!_

_We are at war, Anakin. The Jedi Council is sworn to uphold the principles of the Republic, even if the Chancellor does not._

* * *

_With all due respect, Master, is he not the Chosen One? Is he not to destroy the Sith and bring balance to the Force? _

_So the prophecy says. _

_A prophecy . . . that misread could have been. _

* * *

_What if the democracy we thought we were serving no longer exists, and the Republic has become the very evil we have been fighting to destroy?_

* * *

_Good is a point of view, Anakin. And the Jedi point of view is not the only valid one. The Dark Lords of the Sith believe in security and justice also, yet they are considered by the Jedi to be. . . _

_. . . Evil. _

_ . . . From a Jedi's point of view. The Sith and the Jedi are similar in almost every way, including their quest for greater power. The difference between the two is the Sith are not afraid of the Dark side of the Force. That is why they are more powerful._

* * *

_Only through me can you achieve a power greater than any Jedi. Learn to know the Dark side of the Force, Anakin, and you will be able to save your wife from certain death. _

_What did you say?_

_Use my knowledge, I beg you . . . _

_You're a Sith Lord!_

* * *

_You do know, don't you, if the Jedi destroy me, any chance of saving her will be lost._

* * *

_I am your pathway to power. I have the power to save the one you love. You must choose. You must stop him. _

_Don't listen to him, Anakin!_

_Help me! Don't let him kill me. I can't hold on any longer. Ahhhhhhh . . . ahhhhhhh . . . ahhhhhhh . . ._

* * *

_What have I done? _

_You are fulfilling your destiny, Anakin. Become my apprentice. Learn to use the Dark side of the Force. _

_I will do whatever you ask. _

_Good. _

_Just help me save Padmè's life. I can't live without her. I won't let her die. I want the power to stop death. _

_To cheat death is a power only one has achieved, but if we work together, I know we can discover the secret. _

_I pledge myself to your teachings. To the ways of the Sith. _

_Good. Good. The Force is strong with you. A powerful Sith you will become. Henceforth, you shall be known as Darth . . . Vader._

* * *

_We must move quickly. The Jedi are relentless; if they are not all destroyed, it will be civil war without end. First, I want you to go to the Jedi Temple. We will catch them off balance. Do what must be done, Lord Vader. Do not hesitate. Show no mercy. Only then will you be strong enough with the Dark side to save Padmè. _

_What about the other Jedi spread across the galaxy? _

_Their betrayal will be dealt with. After you have killed all the Jedi in the Temple, go to the Mustafar system. Wipe out Viceroy Gunray and the other Separatist leaders. Once more, the Sith will rule the galaxy, and we shall have peace._

* * *

_The traitors have been taken care of, Lord Sidious. _

_Good . . . Good . . . You have done well, my new apprentice. Do you feel your power growing? _

_Yes, My Master._

* * *

_The war is over. The Separatists have been defeated, and the Jedi rebellion has been foiled. We stand on the threshold of a new beginning. _

_Well, this is the moment we discover if he intends to return the Republic to a democracy._

_In order to ensure our security and continuing stability, the Republic will be reorganized into the first Galactic Empire, for a safe and secure society which I assure you will last for ten thousand years. An Empire that will continue to be ruled by this august body, and a sovereign ruler chosen for life . . . An Empire ruled by the majority . . . Ruled by a new constitution . . . _

_So this is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause . . ._

* * *

_Love won't save you, Padmè. Only my new powers can do that. _

_At what cost? You are a good person. Don't do this! _

_I won't lose you the way I lost my mother! I've become more powerful than any Jedi has ever dreamed of and I've done it for you. To protect you._

* * *

_You turned her against me! _

_You have done that yourself. _

_You will not take her from me. _

_Your anger and your lust for power have already done that._

* * *

_You were the Chosen One! It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them! It was you who would bring balance to the Force, not leave it in Darkness! _

_I hate you! _

_You were my brother, Anakin! I loved you._

* * *

_Lord Vader, can you hear me? _

_Yes, My Master. Where is Padmè? Is she safe, is she all right? _

_I'm afraid she died. ... It seems in your anger, you killed her. _

_I couldn't have! She was alive! I felt her! She was alive! It's impossible! Nooooooo!_

"Noooooo!" Anakin roared, leaping out of the chair and startling his Jedi family into backing away with wide eyes. He looked around the room wildly, not seeing anything, breathing in stilted gasps. "What did I do? Oh Force, what did I do? Padmè," he whimpered, falling to his knees, tears streaming from his eyes.

Obi-Wan and Ahsoka knelt on the hard tile floor in front of him. The concerned Master grabbed his shoulders and shook them gently until Anakin blinked repeatedly and finally focused on him. "What did you see, Anakin?"

Anakin gazed at his Master with utter despair, his breaths still frantic. "Too much. Too much. I can't. Force. Help me."

Ahsoka slid over behind him and wrapped her arms around his chest, planting her chin on his shoulder. "We're here, Anakin."

Obi-Wan held his shoulders harder. "Breathe, Anakin. Breathe. Remember your meditation training. Breathe with me. That's good. Very good."

Anakin shuddered in their hold as he regained control of his body, at least. "I don't… know if I can tell you. I'm… so ashamed. You'll hate me."

"We could never hate you, Anakin," Obi-Wan said firmly.

"We love you," Ahsoka said softly, hugging him harder from behind.

The traumatized Knight turned his head and smiled wanly at his Padawan. "Thank you. But I still don't think I can tell you."

"Can you show us? If we promise not to judge?" Obi-Wan said hopefully, sensing that whatever Anakin had seen was more important than the young man saving face.

Anakin thought about it for only a moment. _They have a right to see. It's their future too. _"Okay."

He fully opened his bond to both of them, hearing Ahsoka gasp as she felt all of his pain, and seeing Obi-Wan's changeable eyes turn a very rare storm cloud grey. _"I'm sorry for what you're about to see," _he thought to them. And then he brought back all of the dreadful words and images he had just watched in his mind.

He brought back his many conversations with Palpatine that led to him discovering on his own that the Chancellor was a Sith Lord. The conversations and false hope that had led to him turning to the Dark side in an effort to save Padmè from he knew not what. The way Palpatine had fed his distrust of the Council while the Council kept their own secrets, leaving him feeling left out. The way he had slaughtered countless Jedi and Younglings because he'd been told it was necessary to bring peace to the galaxy so that Palpatine could take control of absolutely everything. The way he'd strangled Padmè to death, believing her to have betrayed him with Obi-Wan. And finally, the fight with Obi-Wan that had led to him becoming a slave to a robotic suit as he screamed for everything he'd lost because of his own arrogance and faith in Palpatine.

By the time Ahsoka was done mentally rewatching Anakin's vision with him, she had her face buried in the back of his shoulder as helpless tears soaked his tunic. _"Stars, Anakin. I'm so sorry."_

_"Don't be sorry for me. I am scum. Worse than scum. I've seen these visions before, on Mortis, and I turned Dark in a failed attempt at preventing them. What if I do it again?" _

_"Anakin… Just… Give me a minute." _Obi-Wan took very deliberate, deep and steady breaths, never having had to work so hard for calm in his entire life. (And that was saying something.) A small voice that he very carefully kept shielded thought, _I failed him. I will fail him. A vision like that tells me that I failed him. All of that could have been prevented if I'd only done a better job listening to him all these years. He should never have thought that turning to Palpatine was the only choice he had left. _

_I am a failure as a teacher and friend._

_No. _

_Not yet. _

_I can still change things._

_I can be better than I am. _

_I was going to make some changes anyway. That future still had me on the Council. And Ahsoka nowhere in sight. Not even a mention. What happened to her? Did the Council make her leave for marrying Rex? But why would they do that to her but keep myself and Anakin? What are we missing?_

_No matter, I'll figure that out when the time comes. I'll step down from the Council, even if they don't force me to do so once they find out I'm married. _

_I will NOT fail my Padawans or my wife and daughter because I like my standing in the Order more than them. _

When he was sure he was recovered from the shock of Anakin's vision and had come to some necessary decisions within himself, he cupped his ex Padawan's face gently in his hands, tilting up his chin, encouraging Anakin to open his eyes and look at him.

They were bleak with despair.

Obi-Wan's heart almost echoed those eyes before he told it to get a grip; his Padawan needed him strong, so strong he would be.

"Anakin. Listen to me. It was only a vision. A vision that could indicate a possible future, yes, but a vision nonetheless. Your future is whatever you choose to make it. Take this vision and use it to strengthen yourself into what you WANT to be, not what other people tell you that should be. I know it seems like you might lose Padmè for some reason in those visions, but you don't know what the circumstances are so you can't worry yourself over something that might never be. You need to trust that the Force knows what it's doing, and if you do lose someone you love, you know that they're never really gone. You just have to be patient until you can see them again in the Force. You are strong, Anakin. So very, very strong to hold up under all the pressure of your life. But you're even stronger with the Force, stronger than anyone I've ever felt, even the Father. Use it to help you. Give the Force the emotions that hurt you. Let it cleanse you of your pain and fears. Then let the love in your life fill you with clarity and purpose."

Obi-Wan took a much needed deep breath. "I believe in you, Anakin. I always have."

Anakin stared at his Master for a moment, blue eyes wide and unblinking. And then he lunged forward, tearing himself out of Ahsoka's hold, and wrapped his arms around the smaller man's middle, burying his face in Obi-Wan's shoulder like he was nine years old all over again. "Force, Master," he mumbled into Obi-Wan's tunic. "You have no idea how much I needed to hear that."

Obi-Wan wrapped his arms around his shaking Padawan, rubbing his back soothingly, looking over his broad shoulder at Ahsoka with rueful eyes. She gave him an encouraging smile that more or less said, 'enjoy it' as she settled into a more comfortable cross-legged position on the floor.

Anakin breathed in his Master's comforting scent of tea and the same subtle cologne that he'd worn for as long as he'd known him. Slowly relaxing in an embrace that made him feel safe and loved, Anakin did what his Master recommended and let go of everything that had been eating away at his insides. He pictured the golden aura of the Force all around him and sent it his pain and fears and hatred and jealousies and ambitions.

In his mind's eye, he watched the golden Force suck up the offerings with a small ripple that smoothed out quickly. And then the Force swirled around inside him in a happy dance that left him tingling from head to toe, sucking up a few stray tendrils of leftover dark emotions that Anakin had missed, and leaving him with a faint sense of both his mother and Master Qui-Gon, as if they had both left a whispered kiss of love on his forehead.

When the Force settled back down, and he felt nearly empty, Anakin then pictured his love for Padmè, his love for Obi-Wan, his love for Ahsoka, his love for Artoo and Threepio, his love for the adorable younglings he helped teach when the war wasn't tearing him away from the Temple, even his returning love for what it used to mean to him to be a Jedi. All of that love filled him to the brim and he felt whole again and completely at peace for the first time in years.

Pulling back from Obi-Wan's loose hold, he gave his Master a beaming smile that radiated with light and joy. "Thank you, Master."

Obi-Wan's warm blue eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled back. "You're welcome, Padawan." He snorted lightly as he rose to his feet with a crack of complaining knees, and smoothed out his tunics. "Ex Padawan. Whatever. You'll always be my Padawan."

Anakin stood as well (without the cracking knees, but a hair stiffly) and looked over his shoulder at a grinning Ahsoka, who was still sitting on the floor. "I know exactly what you mean. Fifty years from now, that one will still be my Padawan."

Ahsoka smirked as she hopped to her feet in a graceful move (that made Obi-Wan feel positively ancient) and wrapped her arms around Anakin's waist. "That's because you love me."

Anakin rolled his eyes at the top of her head before giving her montral a glancing kiss. "Yeah, I guess I do. Don't know why, though," he teased. "You're always snipping back at me."

She raised an eyebrow marking at him, smirk firmly in place as she stepped back and crossed her arms over her chest. "I thought that was part of the job description of a Padawan; make one's Master batty with frustration at every available opportunity?"

The male Jedi barked with laughter, Obi-Wan shaking his head in amusement. "She's not wrong, Anakin, as I know firsthand twice over. I was just as bad to Qui-Gon as you were to me."

"You were snippy too, Master?" Ahsoka asked with wide sky blue eyes.

Obi-Wan grinned almost evilly. "Oh, yes. My poor Master threatened to leave me behind on many a planet just so he could have some peace for a day or two while I found my own way home."

They laughed for another few moments of contentment before Obi-Wan recalled that there was supposed to be some urgency in their proceedings. "Right. Now that we have all of our personal issues settled as best as possible for the moment, I think it's time we took care of a our little Sith problem, don't you?"

Anakin and Ahsoka's expressions returned to the hunting look she'd been wearing earlier. "Definitely," they said in unison, like they so frequently did.

The eldest Jedi mentally shook his head at them. _Those two are scarily way too much alike. I still haven't decided if Master Yoda was a genius when he paired them together or was wandering aimlessly about three parsecs from his rocker._

_Speaking of…_

Obi-Wan scooped his comm off the table. "I'll call Master Yoda. You two call Cody and Rex. I don't want this to turn into that gong show from your vision, Anakin. We now have some warning of what he's capable of, so we're going in there with enough help to take down a dozen Sith Lords."

"Sounds good to me… Obi," Anakin said deliberately as he walked with Ahsoka towards the living room so their comm calls didn't interfere with each other.

"Hey!" Obi-Wan said indignantly, nearly yelling at Anakin's silently laughing back. "Only people I sleep with get to call me that!"

Anakin paused in the doorway and turned to look back. "Then I guess I qualify, because I'm sure I've spent more than one night huddled up with you and the men in a big puppy pile, trying to stay warm. I'll have to let the boys know that we can all call you 'Obi' now." His eyes gleamed with a devilish light.

"Don't you dare!" Obi-Wan growled. "Or I'll sic Satine on you."

Anakin and Ahsoka looked at each other and laughed. "I'm not scared of your little pacifist wife… Obi," he said with a faint roll of the eyes.

Obi-Wan's expression changed to something that could only be called a mixture of warning and pride. "You should be… Ani."

"Hey!"

* * *

**A/N: I don't know why I ever try to estimate how many chapters something is going to have. What I thought was going to be just a short scene before we move into the climax of the story has turned into a chapter all on its own that really doesn't want to be part of the final chapter. **

**Oh well. I hope you liked it. :D**

**P.S.: In case you didn't know, Anakin's vision is taken entirely from 'Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith' and are events that occur an entire year later than when my story is set. **


	8. Evidence and Confessions

**A/N: ****Please remember that this is an A.U., so any inconsistencies with Canon shows or movies are either on purpose or I simply didn't know better despite countless hours of research. :D**

* * *

**Evidence and Confessions: **

_"Bastian! Why don't you do what you dream, Bastian?"_

_"But I can't! I have to keep my feet on the ground!"_

_"Call my name!"_

"Do it!"

"Come on, kid!" the clones yelled at the holoscreen.

_"Bastian! Please!"_

"Move your shebs!" Cody yelled, eyes wide and hanging on to Rex's forearm with a death grip (Rex was hanging onto Fives), as the palace crumbled away around the pretty little Empress.

_"Save us!"_

_"All right! I'll do it! I'll save you! I will do what I dream!"_

"YES!"

"About fraggin' time!"

The brothers practically surged off their couches and chairs and fist pumped the air as the boy in the movie ran to the storm tossed window.

Chiiiimmmmmmmeee. Chiiiimmmmmmmeee.

All eyes turned to Cody's vambrace as it rang just loud enough to obliterate whatever name Bastian had called out.

"What shabla timing," Cody muttered as he pushed the button to answer. A holo of Skywalker popped up from his forearm. "Yes, General? What can I help you with?" he said in a much politer tone than he was actually feeling.

Fives paused the movie.

"We have an important mission, Cody, but I'll explain more in a minute. I'm trying to find Rex, but he's not answering his comm. Do you know where he is?"

_It's hard for the di'kut to answer his comm when he's not wearing it, _Cody thought with a mental eye roll. "Yes, General. He's right beside me."

"Well, put him on too, then."

Rex shook his head frantically even as Cody set his holo scanner for a wider range and turned his arm a bit. His features settled quickly back into a mask of pleasantness as Anakin smiled to see him. "Rex."

"General."

Anakin's tiny image titled its head slightly. "Are you naked, Rex?"

Rex crossed his arms over his chest in an automatic reaction of embarrassment that had half the room full of the 501st brothers laughing silently. "No, Sir. Only half, Sir. I was… training. And my shirt was ripped."

Anakin's holo blinked a few times. "I… see." He studied Rex for a moment, then his head tilted down and to the side as he focused on someone off camera. "Ahsoka, you need to be nicer to your toys. Clothes and bacta are expensive." His voice was dead serious, despite the smirk twitching at the corner of his mouth.

"Sorry, Master," came back the unapologetic reply.

The brothers roared with laughter.

Anakin's image turned the other way and almost all the way around as he apparently listened to something out of the holo device's microphone range. Cody took the opportunity to nudge Rex in the side. "I think Skywalker already found out about you and the little Commander."

"I think you're right."

"At least he's not calling for your head."

"Either of them," Kix muttered from Cody's right.

That inspired more sniggers from the brothers that Cody quickly quelled with a look just in time for Skywalker to turn his focus back on them.

"Right. All joking aside, we have a mission," Anakin said gravely. "I can't tell you any more details just yet, but Cody, you're to come to the High Council chamber at the Temple as fast as you can and help us plan. Rex, I need you to find the best slicer you have readily available that you can trust and meet Ahsoka in the parking lot of the Star Hartens near the East entrance of the Senate Building. She'll explain more when you see her."

"Yes, Sir!" the brothers said together, saluting smartly.

Anakin nodded. "Good. Also, have all of your men from both units on standby in case we need them, although that might be overkill. I'll see you soon, Cody. And Rex…"

"Yes?"

Anakin narrowed his eyes at him warningly. "You take good care of my Padawan or you WILL find yourself missing your favourite head, do you understand me?"

"Hey! Don't threaten my mate!" Ahsoka's voice said indignantly. "I happen to like Rex's heads, thank you very much!"

Rex nearly melted with love and embarrassment as his brothers sniggered yet again like the children they were.

Anakin ignored her and increased his warning glare to a death glower that sent a shiver of dread down Rex's spine. He gulped and had to resist the urge to cup Little Rex protectively because he knew that Anakin was fully capable of squashing his manhood into nothingness, even from afar. "Yes, Sir. With my life, Sir. Always, Sir."

Anakin's glower transformed into a wide grin. "Good. Welcome to the family, Rex."

Rex exhaled on a gust of relief. "Thank you, Sir."

"I think it's about time you called me Anakin, don't you?"

"Ummmmm. Maybe? I don't know if I can break my conditioning that far." _It's also setting a bad example for the boys. _

Anakin snorted. "You've broken your conditioning in about a thousand other ways, Rex. I'm sure you can manage this too."

Rex glanced at Cody and saw him shrug. _Not helpful, vod. _Cody smirked slightly, reading his eyes. "I'll work on it, Si… Anakin."

Anakin beamed at him. "See, it can be done. Now, get yourself dressed and move your arses. We only have a limited amount of time."

"Yes, Sir!" Cody and Rex said in sync.

Anakin rolled his eyes. "Oh, and for Force's sake, Rex, let Kix put some bacta on you, those bites look awful. I can practically see the bruises forming through the holo."

The brothers roared with laughter as Ahsoka's worried voice started to say, "I didn't bite him that hard, did…" before she was cut off by the ending of the call.

Cody, Rex, and Kix all extracted themselves from the couch and aimed for the door as Fives started the movie again.

Rex shot him a look that had him pausing it just as fast and the men groaning again. He took pity on the begging looks in his brothers' eyes. _I suppose there's time._ "As soon as that movie is finished, the lot of you will go get suited up and wait in the gunships for further instructions, understood?"

"Yes, Sir!"

Rex nodded at his unit and then continued towards the door as Cody walked beside him and Kix fell in behind like a silent shadow.

"I wonder what the mission is?" Rex said as they walked.

"Who knows?" Cody said, then paused just before they turned different ways down the hallway on the other side of the door. "I just wish I knew how the movie ended."

Rex laughed. "I'll tell you in detail later. But the short version is that Bastian named her Moon Child, and he wishes Fantasia and all the characters back into existence."

"Even Artax?"

"Even Artax."

Cody beamed. "I liked that animal. It was a faithful beast."

"It was."

Cody turned and took a few steps down the hallway before pausing and looking back. "Take Canny from the security room for your mission. He's the only good slicer we have on planet right now that's a brother. Skywalker said to use someone we trust, so that automatically eliminates the hired civilians."

Rex nodded. "Will do."

They turned again and went their separate ways, both of them now jogging to make up some time.

Rex skidded into the big bunk room just down the hall and made for his bunk at the end of the room, Kix hot on his heels. "You have exactly thirty seconds to do what want to me," he called to his medic as he dug a fresh undershirt out of his kit and then started snapping armour plates to his bodysuit leggings.

Grumbling under his breath about stubborn brothers, Kix dove for the medical pack sitting on his nearby bunk.

* * *

"Go charging in with hot heads we must not," Master Yoda said with an emphatic thump of his staff. "Evidence we need."

"Master Yoda's right," Mace Windu said, all but glowering at Obi-Wan from his chair across the circle. "We can't arrest the Chancellor without a really, really good reason and solid, incontrovertible proof."

"I understand that," Obi-Wan said calmly as he swept his gaze over the assembled. Masters Plo-Koon, Kit Fisto, and Ki-Adi-Mundi were also present in real life, with the rest of the council attending as holograms, all elsewhere in the galaxy, fighting the war. "That's why I sent Ahsoka and Rex to break into the Chancellor's office at the Senate building to find some hard evidence."

"Risky, but worth it, I would say," Kit said, nodding approvingly.

"Agreed," Mace said, somewhat reluctantly. "Then we shall wait and see if they are successful before we proceed." _I refuse to make a fool of myself._

Everyone turned as Anakin and Commander Cody entered the outer chamber and then walked to the edge of the circle of chairs and stopped. They took up identical positions with their hands at parade rest behind their backs, emphasizing just how much Anakin had been turned into a soldier whether he realized it or not.

"You filled in Cody on what we know so far?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I did," Anakin said with a stiff nod, feeling every Master in the room studying him for signs of weakness because it was his trusted friend that had been accused of being a Sith Lord, his visions that they were all relying on. Anakin didn't know how much Obi-Wan had told the Council yet, but he hoped that his Master hadn't included the part about him essentially turning into a hyperventilating child about it.

Uncomfortable silence reigned for a minute before Mace turned his hard gaze back to Obi-Wan. "Something is troubling me about all of this. You said that Anakin's visions were triggered by Duchess Satine's words, who first discovered that Palpatine was a Darksider because of a Kyber crystal ring that she was wearing?"

_Uh oh, he's figuring things out. Well, they were going to find out soon enough; might as well be now. _Keeping his expression impassive out of practice, Obi-Wan nodded once. "I did."

"Would you mind explaining to us how the Duchess of Mandalore, a people known to despise all things Jedi, came to be in possession of said Kyber crystal?"

Anakin grimaced for his Master's sake, happy that no one saw him do it, as all eyes were now pinned to the relatively young Master. _I guess the tooka's escaping the bag sooner than we thought. _Obi-Wan had planned to withdraw from the Council in the next few days, after the excitement of catching their pesky Sith Lord had died down. As far as revealing everyone else's marriages, they were going to play that one by ear, depending on how the Council reacted to Obi-Wan's.

Obi-Wan took a deep breath, consciously relaxed his suddenly tense muscles, and smiled slightly. "Satine has a Kyber crystal because I gave it to her for her protection… as a Life Day present."

A few of the Council raised their brows at this, but his answer wasn't exactly incriminating, as it was a well known fact that Obi-Wan had a long-standing friendship with the Duchess.

"It seems to me that the Force guided you in this gift, Obi-Wan," Plo said helpfully.

"Yes, I'm sure that it did." Obi-Wan nearly squirmed under the intense gazes of Yoda and Windu; he could practically see the thoughts twirling in their minds.

The tiny Grand Master of the Order gave one of his signature, 'hmmmmmms'. "Wonder, do I, how often our young Master Kenobi is in the habit of giving the Duchess presents?"

Obi-Wan felt his façade of calm slip slightly as a tinge of heat coloured his cheekbones. _As frequently as I can afford on my pathetic allowance, _was his first thought, but he decided a bit more decorum than that was called for. "Often enough."

Mace narrowed his eyes at him, sensing a huge infraction of the 'No Attachment' rule about to be uncovered. "Would you care to elaborate?"

"As you wish." Obi-Wan nodded regally and proceeded to tick off days on his fingers. "Since I met her thirteen years ago, I have given gifts to my Duchess on her birthday, Life Day, anytime I find a trinket I think she'll like, Lovers Day, …" He paused to let his peers process and gasp at that, since Lovers Day was exactly what it sounded like; a galaxy wide day dedicated to the celebration of people in love. "… and… our wedding anniversary."

_"Well done, Master," _Anakin thought to him as the assembled Jedi (holograms included) practically fainted, burst into laughter, or leapt out of their chairs in outrage. If Master Windu wasn't already dark skinned, Anakin was sure the man would be purple with rage, his eyes were bugging out so badly. _"You broke the High Council."_

Obi-Wan grinned behind his steepled fingers, his eyes sparkling a very bright blue. _"I know. Isn't it grand?"_

_"It is. I feel like I've waited my whole life for this moment."_

Obi-Wan sent Anakin a mental chuckle, flicking his eyes towards him. He couldn't help but notice that Cody was also subtly vibrating with silent laughter behind his helmet. _"So do I."_

* * *

Rex brought the military speeder to swirling stop in a parking space right in front of where his young Jedi wife was standing with a silver and blue astromech at her side, illuminated by a huge overhead light in the semi dark of what passed for a Coruscanti night. She smirked, arms crossed over her usual burgundy red warrior outfit. His heart jumped to see her, even if he did miss the more feminine outfit she'd been wearing earlier in his own colours.

"You're starting to drive like Anakin, Rexi," she said teasingly as he and Canny jumped out of the speeder with agile ease.

Rex beamed behind his bucket. "I'll take that as a compliment."

She bumped her shoulder into his arm as he came to stand beside her, "Maybe you shouldn't. Skyguy has a terrible habit of crashing almost everything he drives, flies, or even sits in."

Rex laughed as the other clone, wearing a crisp technician's uniform instead of armour and carrying a backpack over one shoulder, stared at Ahsoka with wide eyes. "But I heard that General Skywalker was the best pilot in the galaxy!"

Ahsoka smiled indulgently at the young looking clone (late teens as opposed to mid twenties like most of them looked) with the standard issue short black hair and no identifying markings. (Yet) "Oh, he is. He just has terrible luck when it comes to actually landing."

"If my General's in the ship, it will almost inevitably get shot down," Rex confirmed, laughter in his tone.

Canny's brown eyes widened even further. "Shab, remind me not to get in a ship with him if at all possible."

"Probably a wise move," Rex said dryly. "Unfortunately, Ahsoka and I don't have that option." He nodded his bucket at Ahsoka. "Canny, this is my wife and Commander, Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano. And Soka, this is Canny, recently from Kamino and slicer extraordinaire." _I hope. He packed enough gadgets to be one, anyway. _"The idiots in placement had him watching security cameras, so Cody's transferring him to the 212th."

Canny beamed at the praise as the two nodded to each other.

"Nice to meet you, Canny."

"You too, Commander Tano." _Rex is one lucky son-of-a-bantha. She's even more beautiful in person._

"So, what's the mission, Ahsoka?" Rex asked, belatedly getting to the business at hand.

She nodded to Artoo. "Bring up the blueprint of the Chancellor's office suite, Artooie." The droid beeped and a blue hologram appeared in the air. "Our mission is to find evidence proving that Palpatine is a Sith Lord, and we need to do it while he's still at Padmè's party, so time is short."

Rex blinked at that little shocker before he huffed. "Hunh. Never really did like that aruetii."

Ahsoka smiled grimly. "Neither have I. Now, his office is guarded by the Redrobes here by the main reception area," she said, pointing to the appropriate spot of the holo image. "But if we take this turbolift here, we can gain access to Palpatine's private security center and take out the guards there before they can alert more guards to our presence. Then we should have unlimited access to the offices and even Palpatine's bedroom without having to engage the guards outside the door as well. Artoo will plug into the main system of the building and turn off the lights so they don't see us coming on their security cameras."

"Sounds like a solid plan," Rex said. "Let's do it."

Ahsoka glanced at Canny. "Just one problem. Canny hasn't got a bucket; how's he supposed to see in the dark?"

Canny grinned and dug into his backpack. He pulled out a set of ordinary looking goggles and set them on his forehead. "Goggles with a built-in HUD and night vision. My own invention that earned me my name. Master Ti is going to recommend that all brothers be issued a set in case something happened to their bucket."

"Very clever," Ahsoka praised.

"What about you? How are you going to see in the dark?"

Ahsoka grinned, showing lots of teeth. "I use the Force, of course."

Canny looked skeptical. "Ooookkaayyyy?"

Rex laughed. "Don't worry about her. I've seen the Jedi go through an entire battle with their eyes closed because of temporary blindness by flashbombs. They seem to see just fine without their eyes."

"Wow."

Ahsoka shrugged. "It's not a skill that we trained with much until this war, but now all of the Jedi have learned to use their Force Sight way better than entire generations past because of it." She paused, smirking. "It's still up for debate if that's a good thing or not."

"Ha." Rex looked at their target about a quarter block away. "Shall we?"

"We shall."

They took off at a brisk pace that didn't draw too much attention from the crowds of fellow pedestrians, but covered ground nonetheless. For a few steps, Ahsoka imagined that she was out walking with her hubby on their first real date. The dream didn't last long, but she did sidle just a fraction closer to him and let her fingers brush against his as they walked.

Rex sucked in a breath and looked down at her. She flashed him a smile that sent his heart to pounding. Daringly, he squeezed her fingers back, hoping she could feel all his love in the there-and-gone gesture.

Ahsoka glanced up at him again, smiling softly and sent back every bit of love she had for him back down their bond, since he had his mental shield wide open at the moment.

Rex nearly forgot how to walk as a wave of warmth practically assaulted his senses. _What the hells was that? _He automatically closed himself off as an instinctive defensive gesture.

Sighing softly, Ahsoka resolved to talk to him about their Force bond the next time they were alone. She'd actually heard his thoughts for a brief moment, which meant that she should be able to send him thoughts too, if he knew how to be open to her. It would take practice, though, so he didn't leave himself open to other Force users' probing or suggestions. For now, she squeezed his fingers back and then dropped his hand before someone noticed a clone holding hands with a Jedi. _That wouldn't go over well, to say the least._

Only another half minute later, they approached one of the service entrances of the huge, dome shaped Senate Building. They came to a stop at the closed door, locked for the night, and waited for Artoo to plug into the wall and open it, while at the same time turning off any alarms attached to the door and turning off the lights in the hallway they were about to enter.

"Umm, I could have done that," the young clone said, somewhat offended.

Ahsoka patted his arm soothingly as they waited. "Yes, I'm sure you could, but Artooie, here, already knows the security measures of the Senate building and can do it faster. And we're leaving him here to track our progress and turn the lights on and off as we go as well as random ones all over the building. Anyone paying attention will think there's a glitch in the system."

"Hunh. Draw less attention if we don't leave a trail of lights off in our wake. Smart."

Ahsoka smirked at the young clone as Rex said. "They don't raise no fools in that Temple."

"I can see that."

"Thank you, Rexi."

"Welcome, baby," he whispered as the door slid open to a dark abyss. They took off at a jog down the empty hallway. _Stars, I can't believe I can call her love names now. Is it possible this whole day has been a fever dream?_

_I sure hope not._

The trek up to the Chancellor's office suite near the top of the building took them a good ten minutes, even at a jog and with speedy turbolifts assisting their progress; the Senate Building was just that big. They'd had to duck around a corner a couple of times when Ahsoka sensed someone approaching and she'd had to signal to Artoo to take the risk of keeping the lights on as they found a safe spot to hide that wasn't in the range of the security cameras. Then they'd held their breaths as the Senate Guard dressed in blue armour strode by on their patrol, but otherwise the trip was uneventful.

Uneventful, that is, until the final lift door opened into the security room and they found two guards dressed in red robes and masks sitting at a huge bank of monitors. There were chairs for three, so either someone was taking a refresher break, or the guard was lighter than normal because of Life Day. "…up with the lights?" one of them was saying.

Ahsoka hissed as the two men immediately went on alert as they registered the opening of the lift door. They shot to their feet and picked up the force pikes leaning against their chairs, turning them on with a flick of a finger. As the Supreme Chancellor's personal guard, Ahsoka assumed that they were not on her side.

"Intruders!" one called, obviously deciding that they couldn't possibly have a valid reason to be there. One moved his arm in a way that indicated he was going to push a button on the computer console to activate a comm or an alarm.

_Frag, _Ahsoka and Rex both thought.

She came out of the lift at a run, holding her hands out and pushing them with the Force so that their backs slammed into the wall behind them.

Rex stepped out of the lift as well, running right on Ahsoka's heels and shooting as fast as he could at the guards, but his shots appeared to do nothing. _What in hells is their armour made of? Not even my armour can take direct hits like that, and I'm supposed to have the best possible stuff covering me._

Canny stayed just inside the doorway of the room, due to the confined space they others had to fight in, deciding that staying out of the way was probably the better idea, but he pulled a blaster out of his backpack and started shooting at the computer consoles, targeting the button the guard was going for first. Things started sparking in a very satisfying way in short order.

Three bounds from the lift door, Ahsoka had her lightsabres in hand and she was a flying dervish as she engaged both of the guards at once as they tried to stab her with their lethally energized pikes. Monitors and chairs and walls didn't fare so well in the confined space.

Rex stood just out of the kill zone, blasters pointed at the combatants and taking shots at the Redrobes whenever he found a clear one that couldn't possibly hit Ahsoka. He also started aiming for where he knew there had to be a gap in the armour, but the robes kept everything obscured and the men weren't exactly standing still. _Shab, this isn't kriffing working!_

_Time for plan B. _

Seeing a brief opportunity as one of the Red Guards turned his back to Rex, the clone Captain holstered his blasters and tackled him from behind, and then flat out wrestled with him for control of the pike as they rolled around on the floor and tried not to get himself electrocuted at the same time. Rex grunted as his back slammed into a chair but kept at it.

Ahsoka was still parrying with the other guard who she found to be a surprisingly well trained opponent, using his pike very well as a sword. The energy in the weapon repulsed her lightsabre, refusing to be broken by it.

Quickly coming to the conclusion that she wasn't going to win by engaging the weapon in a normal fashion, she decided to try and removed the weapon from his grasp; by going with the more gruesome but necessary option of removing his hand or arm entirely.

Finally taking a brief opening in his defence to attack, she gasped as her lightsabre basically just bounced off of his red vambrace, not even leaving a scorch mark. "What the…?"

Her opponent used her surprise against her, stabbing at her chest with the pointed end of his pike. She just barely managed to leap back in time to avoid it, bringing her lightsabres up in her signature reverse ready position again. "Nice try, sleemo,"

He didn't bother to answer, just lunged at her again.

Ahsoka leapt as high as the ceilings would allow, flipping over his head and slashing at his helmet on the way by. Again, no damage. _What the kriff is his armour made of? If I didn't know better I'd say… Nah. That's impossible. Isn't it?"_

He spun, and their fight was back on.

Meanwhile, Rex had managed to pin his opponent face first to the floor near the lift and Canny's feet. He yanked his arm up and behind his back hard enough to make his opponent lose his grip on the sparking pike. Canny immediately put a boot on the handle to keep control of the weapon. The guard only gave a faint gasp when Rex dislocated his shoulder. _Tough bastard. _

With his knees planted on the soldier's back, Rex pushed the big red helmet off. "Let's see you shake off a shot without your armour, you red shabuir." Unsure whether or not this man was actually an enemy or just doing his job, Rex pulled a blaster and stunned him in the back of his military cut brown head. (They could always execute him later if he proved more loyal to Palpatine than the Republic.)

The man went boneless under him and Rex took half a second to breathe in relief and savour his victory. But then his eyes widened as the rest of the noises in the room registered. _Ahsoka!_

Tugging the handle of the fallen pike out from under Canny's boot, Rex jumped back onto his feet. His gaze flashed around the room.

He saw Canny standing with feet braced and blaster trained on Ahsoka's opponent, but not bothering to waste any more shots on the man, having seen how ineffective that was, sparks flying from all of the computer equipment, and Ahsoka and the last man in red dancing around the crowded space like some sort of violent ballet. Despite all of her experience, she'd never fought an opponent with this one's particular skill set before and he could see that she seemed to be at a loss as to how to actually beat him.

Narrowing his eyes behind his helmet, Rex growled. _No one messes with my woman. _

Rex charged down the room, pike in front of him, and ran right into the Red Guard, aiming for just above the belt, where he was assuming there had to be at least a small gap between armoured plates. _Stupid robes cover everything!_

The point of the weapon thankfully sank into flesh and the guard stiffened as electricity shot through his body. After a good thirty seconds, Rex pulled the pike out and turned it off, tossing it away in disgust. _Dreadful weapon. _The guard slumped to the floor, unconscious and possibly paralyzed.

Ahsoka shook her head as she hung her lightsabres on her belt. "I don't know what he's wearing, but I couldn't get past it."

Rex frowned down at the guard. "My blasters couldn't either. There's only two types of armour that I know of that has that kind of strength. The first is beskar, and I can tell you that stuff is much too light to be Mandalorian iron. The second was on a giant beast."

Ahsoka's head shot up and their gazes met through his visor. "But the Zillo beast was killed!"

"Yes, it was. But that doesn't mean Palpatine stopped experimenting with it in secret."

Ahsoka's mouth opened and then she snapped it shut, anger clouding her eyes. "And only gave the new tech to his personal guards, that sleemo." _How long has he had the new armour? How many clones could have been saved if they had this armour too? _She frowned as she toed the red painted bracer on the fallen man's calf. "I wonder if this is evidence enough? Probably not. Kriff."

"Then we keep going?"

"We keep going."

* * *

Mace stalked across the circle and loomed over Obi-Wan, leaning on the arms of his chair. In a very tightly controlled voice, he said, "Are you. Telling us. That you. Are MARRIED?!" (Okay, it started tightly controlled, anyway.)

Obi-Wan smiled pleasantly up into the other man's face. "I do believe that is what I very clearly implied, yes."

The elder Master straightened up on inhale of rage. "HOW LONG?!" he bellowed.

Obi-Wan raised a single copper eyebrow. "Careful, Master Windu, your emotions are showing." _He didn't even react anywhere near this badly when he found out Palpatine was a Sith Lord. I knew I got on his nerves, but, wow._

"ARRRGGHHHHHHH!"

"Mace! Control yourself you must!" Yoda said, appearing beside the other Master and poking him in the calf with his stick.

Mace looked down at the Grand Master's disappointed eyes and grasped the threads of his control tightly, reining himself back in. Taking a deep breath, and calling on decades of training, Mace pushed his more volatile emotions back into the durasteel box they lived in. He walked calmly to his chair and sat back down.

The rest of the Council took this as their cue to settle themselves as well.

The room was silent when Mace asked once again, "How long?" But he was talking to an empty chair. He turned his head until he found his quarry.

In the chaos, Obi-Wan had risen to his feet and moved to stand beside Anakin and Cody, adopting the same pose of parade rest. The symbolism was not lost on the Council.

"Before I answer that," Obi-Wan said calmly. "I am herby formally withdrawing from the Council before you can kick me off of it."

"Why do you feel like you had to resort to that, Obi-Wan?" Plo asked amid the gasps and shocked looks. "You are a valuable member of this Council and it is possible that we might have come to some sort of agreement in regards to your being married that would allow you to remain?" He and the rest of the Council looked at Yoda as he said this and got a small nod of affirmation.

No one looked at Mace. His explosion might have to be discussed later and his standing as Master of the Council could possibly be questioned if he gave any further signs of losing it. They were all politely hoping it was a one off thing due to stress.

"It relieves me to know that you are more open minded than I thought," Obi-Wan started with. "But my decision stands. Anakin's visions made it clear to me that I was failing as his teacher and friend because of your influence. I should never have let him think I was dead, as the most prevalent example. That was a mistake in so many ways that almost cost me his trust, and in what is now hopefully an alternate future, the catalyst that pushed him towards the Dark side."

"Understand, we do." Yoda said softly. "Mistakes were made by all regarding that decision. Time, you may take, to rebuild your relationship with Skywalker, and his training, work more on you should. Something we never wish to see, his future visions are."

"Anakin's visions have also made it clear to me that this Council needs to do some serious rethinking of what our priorities are," Plo said softly but firmly, catching everyone's attention. "What is the point of the no attachments rule if all it brings us is further distress? Anakin is the prophesied future of the Jedi Order and we nearly pushed him away because we kept shoving that old rule down his throat. We have been blinded by our own ideals and it must stop."

Most of the Council's heads were nodding in agreement.

Mace was sitting like a statue, feeling his control of the Council slipping away.

Anakin was trying not let his amazement show that the Council was actually sounding reasonable for once.

Plo turned to look at the copper haired Jedi that had inspired it all. "Tell me, Obi-Wan; do you love your wife?"

"I do," he answered simply to start, but felt like that just wasn't enough, so he made a confession from the soul that left him feeling lighter and freer than ever before. "With every spare ounce of my heart, in fact, for the entire thirteenish years that we've been married. I also love Anakin and Ahsoka and would give up my life for them. But…" he said, holding up a hand before anyone could protest, "I also know not to let my love for them interfere with my duty as a Jedi, as I'm sure I've proven countless times over the years. Yes, I am attached to them, if you want to put it like that, but I also know how to let them go if I must."

"Well said, Obi-Wan," Kit said with a wide smile. Addressing his peers, he continued. "I wholly agree with him and I think it is obvious that Obi-Wan has proven for a very long time that one CAN have attachments within reason."

"I agree." Plo said firmly. "Can any of us deny not loving our own Padawans at least a little?"

A chorus of 'no's answered the Kel Dor Master.

Plo continued. "Attachments have always been in the Order. We just chose not to call it that, for the sake of our pride in the old ways. I propose that we vote here and now to make an amendment to the rule that states; Relationships will be allowed, within reason. Provided that the Jedi can prove that their first priority is to the Order, and that they can demonstrate a high level of control over their emotions."

"Reasonable, this sounds," Yoda said firmly. "Agree to the change, I do."

"And I," Kit said.

"And I," Shaak Ti added with a smile.

And so it continued until the only one still in a seated position who hadn't spoken yet was Mace. All eyes turned to him, since he was still technically the final voice of the Council. And if he wanted to remain so, he felt that he had to give in to the popular opinion around him or find himself demoted quickly. "As much as it pains me to say this, since I have steadfastly followed the original Code for my entire life, I also agree to the change in the rule on attachments."

The assembled breathed a faint sigh of relief.

Mace turned his gaze to Obi-Wan. "I apologize for how I reacted earlier. It was uncalled for."

Obi-Wan nodded in acknowledgment. "No harm done."

_Not to you. _Mace smiled tightly. "Since it seems that relationships are now allowed within the Order, do you still wish to withdraw from the Council?"

"It is very nice of you to offer my place back, but I shall have to decline."

"Why?" more than one person asked at the same time.

A beatific smile settled on Obi-Wan's bearded face. "I think my wife would prefer I spend more time with her for the next little while, and a seat on the Council just doesn't allow me to do that. You see, despite our precautions, the Force has chosen to gift us with a child. Our little girl should be delivered in about eight months."

The Council was stunned, the silence nearly deafening.

_"You did it again, Master."_

_"Yes, I think I did."_

Cody was the first to break the silence. "Congratulations, General. The boys and I will all be very proud and very protective uncles."

Obi-Wan grinned around Anakin. "Thank you, Cody. I'm sure my peace loving wife will be very pleased to have a few hundred Mandalorian trained warriors looking after our daughter at any given time."

Cody and Anakin's laughter brought the Council out of their stupor and congratulations were called as Kit and Plo quickly rose to their feet and crowded around Obi-Wan, Kit giving him a hearty slap on the back.

Yoda and Mace looked at each other, and the human man snorted and gave up all pretense of knowing what the Force was going to do next. Yoda smiled, showing pointy teeth.

When the excitement settled down again, and Plo and Kit returned to their comfy chairs, Yoda turned his gaze to the three standing men. "Since clearing the air, we are, more confessions does anyone have to make?"

Anakin slid his eyes sideways towards his Master. _"I think he's talking about me."_

_"I think you're right."_

_"How could he possibly know?"_

Obi-wan gave a mental snort. _"That old troll knows everything. Did you notice he wasn't surprised when I said I was married? I swear he spends all of his free time just communing with the Force."_

_"That's because he doesn't have a wife to keep happy." _

Obi-Wan laughed mentally, lips twitching under his moustache.

_"Should I tell them?"_

_"Were you going to eventually anyway?"_

_"I guess so. I'm tired of living in secrecy."_

_"Then tell them."_

_"What about Ahsoka and Rex?"_

_"Maybe we should keep that under wraps for now. At least until she's of legal age."_

_"Good idea."_

"Anakin," Yoda prompted. "Something to say, have you?"

_"Yeesh. He's not even giving me a choice."_

_"Apparently not."_

Anakin somehow managed to tilt his chin up while still looking down at the seated Masters. In a completely serious tone despite how ridiculous it sounded, he said, "Yes, there is something I need to say. Since relationships are now allowed, I would like to belatedly ask permission to pursue a relationship with my wife, Senator Padmè Amidala."

Yoda chortled with glee as the Masters either gasped or grinned. "Knew it, I did," Yoda said happily, hopping off his chair and hobbling over to Anakin. He poked him in the stomach with his gnarled old stick. "Not as good as your former Master are you at keeping your emotions hidden. Work on this, you need to."

Anakin ignored the new ache in his abs and nodded respectfully down at the ancient green Jedi. "Yes, Master. I will."

"Then permission granted, is."

"Thank you, Master."

As Yoda hobbled back to his chair, Anakin looked up and met some of the gazes of the Council. Fisto, Koth, and Mundi were grinning at him. Koon seemed to be as well, but it was hard to tell with his mask on. Master Ti was shaking her head with a fond smile. Tiin was frowning slightly, but didn't seem upset, so that was all right. And Windu? Well, he wasn't raging again, so Anakin considered his faint lip curl of disgust a win.

"What is taking your Padawan so long?" Mace grumbled, choosing to pick something else to be irritable about before he got himself in trouble with his peers again. (They were much too lenient with Anakin, in his opinion. They always had been. Just because he was the 'Chosen One'.)

"Hang on, I'll ask her."

Mace's eyebrows shot up when Anakin's gaze simply turned inward instead of pushing a button on his comm. _What the kriff is he doing?_

Choosing his bond as a means of communicating in case Ahsoka was doing something that a comm call could put her in danger for, Anakin thought, _"How's it going, Snips?"_

She answered a moment later. _"Oh, it's going. We're finding all kinds of fun things."_

_"Like?"_

_"I'll comm you as soon as we're done. In the middle of something right now."_

_"Okay."_

Anakin focused on Windu again. "Ahsoka says she'll comm us soon and that she's finding 'all kinds of fun things'."

The room was silent again as they processed, most with wide, unblinking eyes and gaping mouths.

Mace blinked first. "Skywalker, did you just use telepathy to actually talk to your Padawan?"

_Is there something wrong with that? _Anakin looked at Obi-Wan. _"Is there something wrong with that?"_

Obi-Wan raised a brow. _"Not to my knowledge."_

Anakin turned his questioning gaze back to the still surprised looking Master. "Yes. I did. Is there something wrong with that?"

Mace frowned. "Technically, no. it's just… that kind of bond between Master and Padawan is the stuff of legends only. Most can communicate emotions easily enough to their bonded Padawans, and there's the odd few who can get across an emergency 'help!', but that's about it."

Anakin felt like a bug under a magnifying glass as the entire Council pinned him in their amazed gazes. "Hunh. I didn't know that. I've always been able to talk to my Masters and Padawan in my mind."

"You also talk to Kenobi?" Mace's voice may have risen in pitch by the end of that, but everyone was too polite to point it out.

Obi-Wan smirked. "Yes, he does. But I also didn't know that was strange, because Qui-Gon and I also shared such a bond."

Now the Council was gawking at Obi-Wan.

"How did we not know this?" Mace asked, completely flabbergasted.

"Perhaps because you chose to keep my Master and I away on missions as much as possible because you did not like us?" Obi-Wan offered helpfully with a cheeky twinkle in his blue eyes.

Mace glowered as many around him sniggered quietly.

"A new, stronger with the Force form of Jedi, Master Qui-Gon's line created," Yoda said with a shake of his head. "And 'attachments', all of them did have, to each other and to others. A lesson from this, there is to be learned, I think."

Mace was saved from having to answer by the beeping of Anakin's comm link.

* * *

Moving cautiously, the trio of amateur sleuths forced open the door at the far end of the security room and found a small refresher. And their missing guard just rising from the commode as he bent down to pull up his crimson red leggings. Rex stunned the poor bastard below the waist where bare skin was showing, and they watched him fall over in that position.

"His expression has got to be priceless under that helmet," Ahsoka mused.

The brothers barked out a laugh as Rex grabbed the force pike leaning against the wall by the door.

"How did he not hear the racket in the next room?" Canny wondered.

"Soundproof walls, probably," Rex answered as he pulled off the helmet of what turned out to be a blond man in his thirties, and stunned him again just to make sure he'd stay asleep for awhile.

"Good thing, or we'd have the guards in the reception area in here too," Ahsoka said as they moved back through the security room, passing the other two guards also double stunned and one now missing a glove that had a reinforced armour backing. Again taking up positions of defence on either side of the doorway, they opened the door to the right of the lift.

This one led into the wide hallway between the reception area and Palpatine's main office, and there was thankfully no one in sight.

"Did you know that I've never been in here?" Ahsoka said conversationally as they made for the desk set on a dais in front of a huge bank of windows. Thousands of speeders flew by every minute in the crowded evening sky.

"Really? Doesn't that seem strange to you, considering how often Anakin is in here?" Rex asked, his head turning from side to side, automatically scanning for traps or hidden guards.

"I always just thought Palpatine was incredibly rude and didn't like me, whenever he indicated I should wait outside. Sometimes just by closing the door in my face."

"That is rude," Rex muttered as Canny tapped open the built in computer in Palpatine's desk and started plugging gizmos into it. "He clearly has a hardon for the colour red," Rex said, glancing around, making Ahsoka laugh softly.

While Canny talked to himself about encryption codes, and Rex stood on high alert, Ahsoka started wandering around the ridiculously ostentatious red room, examining the artwork and finding none of it to her liking. A faint whine caught her attention from the vicinity of the hallway that connected the main office to a smaller room that they would get to next.

Eyeballing a small gold statue of an ugly naked dude that sat on an ornate table beside the archway, Ahsoka asked, "Does anyone else hear that?"

The brothers stopped everything, even their breathing, as they listened.

They heard nothing.

"Nope. Nothing."

"My helmet's not picking up anything either," Rex said apologetically.

Canny went back to typing furiously on his personal computer, trying to crack into Palpatine's.

Ahsoka frowned at the statue. "Hmmmmm." _I swear I know that sound. _She picked up the offensive statue and held it to her montral, increasing the noise to something easily audible for her. _I DO know that sound! _

She deliberately dropped the statue.

"Rats."

"What?" Rex called, walking over.

"I didn't break."

"Of course it didn't. That's gold and the floor is carpeted. You'll have to do better than just dropping it if you want into it."

"Okay." Ahsoka grinned maliciously as she ignited her main lightsabre and held it to the statue's stomach and groin area, just above the squat legs.

Rex winced in automatic sympathy for the statue's manhood as it melted.

Once Ahsoka had cut off the legs, she kicked the remains of the statue. As it rolled across the floor, a lightsabre fell out. "I thought so." She picked it up and turned it on. The blade was red, as expected by the sound of the faintly whimpering crystal within. Turning it off with a shudder, she looked at Rex. "I know why he's never let me in here, now."

"Because you could hear that?"

"Yep. It's very subtle. Practically dead. But Togrutan hearing is the best in the galaxy." She frowned at the beautifully crafted lightsabre. _Surprising, considering who made it. _"I wonder if he's ever let Master Ti in here. And if he did, he must have had some sort of background noise going on to distract her, or I'm sure she would have heard it too."

"Commander Tano?" Canny called, distracting her.

Ahsoka clipped the offensive lightsabre to her belt as far from her own as possible. "Yes?"

"I've cracked the encryption, but I can't get into the files on this computer without his password."

"Kriff."

"But…"

"Yes?"

"This computer is connected to a bigger one on the same private network. If I can find that one, maybe it will be easier to get into."

"There's more rooms allotted to him in the blueprint," Ahsoka said hopefully. "Maybe we'll find what you're looking for in one of them."

"Worth a shot," Rex seconded.

Canny unplugged his computer from the desk comp and trotted up to them. They all went down the hallway, past more artwork and sunken seating areas, and stopped at a closed door.

With a 'here goes nothing' shrug, Rex hit the button to open the door.

Nothing happened.

"Locked."

"I can get us in," Canny said, digging through his backpack.

Ahsoka lit her lightsabres. "I can get us in faster." She dug the emerald and lime green blades into the durasteel just above her head and started moving them away from each other in a rough circle shape.

_"How's it going, Snips?"_

She paused for half a second as a thought that was not her own popped into her head. _"Oh, it's going. We're finding all kinds of fun things."_

_"Like?"_

_"I'll comm you as soon as we're done. In the middle of something right now."_

_"Okay."_

Canny gawked with wide eyes at the destruction of the door and Rex laughed, bumping his shoulder. "You'll get used to it. The Jedi seem to enjoy cutting their way into things whenever they can find or make the opportunity to do so."

"I can see that."

"Hey! It's fun wrecking Seppie stuff, okay?" she said defensively.

"And Palpatine's stuff?" Rex teased as the lightsabres met at the bottom of the door near her feet.

Ahsoka kicked in the oval of cut out durasteel. "And most definitely Palpatine's stuff." She grinned at them and then stepped into the room. "I found your computer, Canny."

The brothers looked around the mostly black and utilitarian room that housed a massive computer console at the back and nodded. "Yep, you sure did."

While Canny plugged into the massive computer with a gleeful expression, Ahsoka sat in what had to be Palpatine's favourite chair. She adopted an Angelic look and folded her hands in her lap. "I'm the Supreme Chancellor and I'm everybody's friend."

Rex laughed. "That's not bad, Soka."

And then she dropped her voice and put on a scowl. "Until I kill you all, you pathetic worms!" She banged the arm of the chair with a fist to emphasize her point, accidentally bumping an inset button.

A holotable lit up in the middle of the room._ Oops._ Before she could turn it off, a distinctive figure popped up, fortunately looking down at something in his hands, reading perhaps. Everyone in the room froze as he said in an even more distinctive voice, "Yes, My Lord? Did you have something else to tell me about the new armour sheeting for our ships?"

Not breathing, Ahsoka hit the chair again in the same spot and the holo image disappeared. With wide, unblinking eyes, she looked at Rex. "Holy jumping nerfs! He's got Count Dooku on speed dial!"

Rex slowly exhaled as a slow burning rage built within him. "Yes, he karking well does."

"Not only is he a Sith Lord, he's kriffing well running both sides of the war!" Ahsoka nearly shouted as she popped up from the chair. "He's killing us all on purpose!"

Canny held up his personal computer as reams of information scrolled across the screen. "I'm currently downloading a great deal of information that will probably support that. I see references here to both Republic funds and Separatist. Droids are mentioned a lot. So are the Clones."

"Kriff. I need to comm the Council. This is worse than we thought. Then we need to get out of here."

"Perhaps in the other order would be safer?" Rex suggested.

Ahsoka nodded. "Right. You almost done, Canny?"

He unplugged his computer. "Done."

Rex moved to the hole in the door. "And we're outta here."

* * *

Elsewhere in the galaxy, Count Dooku narrowed his eyes at the holotable in his office. _That was weird. Should I call him back? _

_Nah. _

_If the old fart accidentally hit the button on his poorly designed chair again and is too embarrassed to say so, I don't want to know. _

_Why couldn't Grievous be first on his speed dial?_

* * *

_ Mando'a translations _ _:_

_Aruetii = traitor_

* * *

**Star Hartens: In case you couldn't figure this out on your own, I made up a mix of the names of 2 popular coffee shops (with a slight spelling difference for the sake of possible copyrights). If there isn't a coffee (caf) shop on all of the possible corners near such a massive public office building, I'll eat my hat. Lol. **


	9. The Rise of Skywalker

**A/N: And I finally present… The chapter I promised you a couple weeks ago! Yay! (Blame the muse.)**

**P.S.: I seriously could not resist the urge to call my chapter by the following title. You'll understand why later. And yes, this gets a little fantastical at the end, but what the hell; I had so much fun writing it. :P**

**P.P.S.: I just watched Blind Wave react to The Holiday Special. I honestly haven't laughed so much in my life. Compared to that gong show of a movie, what you're about to read seems perfectly believable as far as I'm concerned. (I claim the right to write outlandish fan fiction if I want to. And I want to.) :D :D :D **

* * *

**The Rise of Skywalker:**

Just before the attached comm chimed on his new glove, Anakin felt a subtle wave of anxiety flow up his bond from his wife. _Uh oh. She's not hiding her emotions from me; that's never a good sign. _He was reaching for the button to answer the comm a fraction of a second before the sound of it caught the attention of everyone in the High Council chamber.

As he expected, Padmè's holo image popped up from his vambrace and the quiet murmurs of the Council hushed immediately. "What's happening? Is something wrong?" he asked, before she could even speak.

Padmè's tiny image looked at him with worried eyes. "What's keeping you?" she hissed in a furtive tone. "We've finished dinner and only have dessert left, and he just mentioned that he can't stay and mingle after that like he normally would. He looks a little on edge, like he's sensing something amiss. You need to get here now or you're going to end up having to arrest him at the Senate where he has a horde of guards to back him up!"

Anakin exchanged looks of alarm with Obi-Wan. "Stall him as long as you can. We're coming. Get him out on the main balcony and away from the other guests if you can. I'm sure you can make up some important sounding political poodoo to talk about."

She shot him a look that said he was going to regret not wording that better, but only said, "Fine. Just hurry."

"We are." _Now. _"Just hang on for fifteen more minutes."

"All right."

Out of habit, from years of keeping their relationship a secret, they said their 'I love you's' with their eyes only, just before ending the call.

Anakin looked up to find himself surrounded by Jedi Masters.

"We're all going," Mace said firmly.

Anakin found himself flashing his least favourite Master a genuine smile for what might be the first time in his life. "Good. But I'm driving."

Mace rolled his eyes, but it was wasted on the young Knight, because Anakin had already turned around and dashed for the exit at a speed that left him nothing but a blur. "I guess he's driving," he muttered, eliciting a chuckle from the rest of the men around him who hadn't moved yet either.

Obi-Wan shrugged as they all proceeding to walk briskly in the wake of the force known as Skywalker. "He is rather good at dodging Coruscanti traffic. You just have to talk your stomach into keeping its last meal where it should be."

"Lovely."

Obi-Wan grinned at the less than impressed Master Windu before turning his head to the Clone Commander walking on his left. "Cody, have your men meet us by the main balcony of Amidala's apartment in their gunships. We'll present a solid wall of force that he shouldn't be able to get through. But just in case, let's have Rex's unit scattered at street level with blasters set to stun in case he manages to take a flyer off the balcony."

"Yes, Sir!" Cody immediately got on the internal comm inside his helmet that could connect him to every clone also wearing a helmet within a hundred kilometre radius.

The group of six Jedi Masters and the highest ranked clone in the GAR walked out into the night by the closest door and toward the long set of steps that one could take to reach the lower levels of the Temple if one didn't feel like using the indoor lift. (This actually occurred a lot, people wanting to take the time to think.) By the time they arrived at the top step, Anakin screeched up in his blue and gold speeder.

"Perfect timing," Obi-Wan said as he climbed in to the passenger seat beside his former Padawan.

Anakin shot his Master a grin as Yoda, Windu, Koon, Mundi, Fisto, and Cody jumped into the back. "It does happen occasionally, you know." He turned his head over his shoulder for half a second as the engine rumbled eagerly. Seeing that everyone was in, although looking a bit squashed together, he grinned at them too. "Hang on!"

The Jedi Masters took him seriously as Anakin took off at a speed that no normal personal city speeder was supposed to be able to attain. (Cody didn't need the warning, already bracing himself from experience.) "Someone's been tinkering with his speeder," Ki-Adi said with wide eyes, hanging onto the frame of the speeder with a death grip.

"He used to fly podracers," Kit laughed, enjoying the wind in his tentacles as they flew behind him like streamers. "Why are you surprised?"

Ki-Adi just shook his head. _Obi-Wan was right about having to convince dinner to stay put. Force, please let me live to see my wives and children again, _he prayed fervently and then closed his eyes, unable to watch the scenery fly by quite that quickly.

As they flew past traffic like it was standing still, on the way to Amidala's apartment building that was usually about a twenty minute flight from the Temple, Anakin called out into the whipping wind, "I talked to Ahsoka again. She's comming Obi-Wan in about a minute. She was just making her way out of the Senate building and couldn't talk yet. She already knows to meet us at Padmè's as fast as possible."

"That's good," Mace called back. "We still need evidence."

"She has it."

Obi-Wan dug out his comm link just before it rang. Holding it on his palm and turning so everyone in the back could see the little image as well, he flicked the button to answer. "Ahsoka," he said to the running image of his Grandpadawan, her arm held before her as she talked to the commlink on her forearm. "What have you found?"

She pulled a lightsabre off her belt that was definitely not hers. "I found this, for starters, hidden in a statue in his office, and yes, before you ask, it is most definitely red."

"I'd say that is evidence enough to call him a Darksider, at least."

"Agree, do I," Yoda said from the back (also grinning at the rarely felt exhilarating speed). _Wonder, do I, if I can finagle more rides with Skywalker? Fun, this is!_

"What else?" Obi-Wan asked as the little image moved like she had just vaulted into a speeder and then sat down.

"Just a sec. Come on, Artoo!" she said, looking off to the side for a moment.

Rex's voice was heard saying, "Canny, you stay here at the Star Hartens. Someone will come back for you later once it's safe. Start making copies of everything you downloaded and send them on with a quick explanation to anyone you think should know; like the holopress and the justice department and the Jedi Temple."

"Yes, Sir!"

Mace nodded to himself at the orders. _Smart man, that Rex. Skywalker's lucky to have him. _

Ahsoka focused on them again. "Well, as you probably just heard, we've copied his computer files, which seem rather damning. And we had a bit of a fight with a couple of his Red Guards, and guess what?"

"What?"

"Their armour is impervious to both lightsabres and blasters."

"WHAT!?" more than one person in the speeder said at the same time. (Almost all of them, in fact.)

Ahsoka grinned. "That's what I thought too when I was fighting them. Rex and I have come to the conclusion, based on its weight and appearance, that it was made from, or copied from, the Zillo beast's natural armour."

"Why, that two faced liar," Mace cursed. "He said he was giving up on his experiments with the beast after the fiasco that destroyed a good chunk of the city."

"He obviously didn't," Obi-Wan growled.

"We grabbed a gauntlet off of one of the guards to run an analysis on. Canny has it for safe keeping for now. And that's not all. I think Palpatine's also planning on using it to armour the Seppie ships."

"What makes you think that?" Obi-Wan asked, bracing his foot on the dash to prevent himself from flying right out of the speeder as Anakin made a sudden stop to avoid barreling into a traffic jam; the cause of which appeared to be two guys in expensive speeders yelling at each other in Huttese, apparently over the pretty blue twi'lek seated in one of the speeders and watching with a secret smirk as they fought over her.

Cursing under his breath (also in Huttese), Anakin whipped his speeder to the right and flew down a smaller traffic lane that would take them around the people enjoying the show.

Oblivious to their frantic flight, but apparently experiencing her own as she suddenly tilted sideways and made a grab for the side of the speeder she was in, Ahsoka replied with, "Because Count Dooku said something to that effect when I accidently commed him using Palpatine's speed dial."

"COUNT DOOKU!" the men in the speeder yelled in chorus.

"Yes. Count Dooku," she growled back. "That dirty sleemo has been running both sides of the war. And Dooku addressed me as My Lord, which means that Palpatine has to be THE Sith Lord, if he commands Dooku, right?"

"That would be right," Obi-Wan confirmed. "I can't believe we've been serving a Sith Lord all this time."

"Clouded, our vision has been," Yoda said mournfully. "Understand, now, I do. Blinded by arrogance, was I."

"Forget that," Anakin said as he swerved around yet another parked speeder as he drove illegally on the edge of the traffic lane. "Did Dooku know it was you he was talking to?" Anakin asked the little image of his Padawan worriedly.

Ahsoka shook her head. "I don't think so. He was looking down when he answered, and I turned it off before he looked up."

Anakin breathed a sigh of relief, along with everyone else once they realized that Anakin had a valid concern. "That's good. Where are you now?"

"About one minute from Amidala's," Rex's voice answered back.

"Same. We'll wait for the gunships to arrive and then fly up together."

"Sounds good," Rex and Ahsoka said together, before her image disappeared.

Obi-Wan tucked his comm link away into a pouch on his belt as he took a steadying breath. "Everyone needs to be prepared for anything. In Anakin's vision I saw that Palpatine had killed you, Kit, as well as Masters Tiin and Kolar."

Kit grimaced. "Fan-fragging-tastic."

"And he can use Force Lightning at will."

"Also, fan-fragging-tastic," Mace grumbled, inspiring a weak chuckle or two, since it was a rare day indeed that the staid Master actually used swear words.

* * *

When the last crumb of yogan cake had been licked up from his plate and Jar Jar had declared, "Messa fullen," everyone took this as the unspoken signal to abandon the dinner table and scatter to either the smaller dining room for a new beverage or the main living room to mingle and pretend they were capable of talking about something other than the war or politics.

Padmè fell in beside the Chancellor as he passed her. It felt like her insides had been invaded by ants now that she knew what he was, but she smiled brightly nonetheless and touched his arm before he could turn towards the living room and the exit. "Can I get you something to drink before you go? I shipped in your favourite brandy from home for you."

Sheev patted her hand fondly. "As tempting as that sounds, my dear, I really must go. I'm afraid I have a time sensitive call that I must make," he lied with an apologetic smile.

_No, no no. He can't leave yet! _"Please. Just one drink? I really wanted to talk to you about the new bill I'm presenting tomorrow. I was hoping you would support it and help sway the vote. It will only take five minutes." _Hurry up, Anakin! _

Down the hallway from around Palpatine's shoulder, towards the kitchen, Padmè saw Satine staring at her with a 'what the kriff is happening?' look. She gave her back an, 'I wish I knew that myself!' look of hopeless frustration. Satine scrunched her nose at her and rolled her eyes in a very un-Duchess-like move, inspiring a temporary twinge of amusement.

The man who sometimes wished he could openly call himself Darth Sidious glanced towards the far end of the living room where escape beckoned, a niggling sense of something being wrong increasing in intensity. _I really should go. Find out what has happened that has my senses on edge. But surely it can't hurt to indulge my political protégé in a few minutes of conversation? _"I guess one quick drink won't hurt. I do want to know more about this bill you're proposing."

Padmè simultaneously beamed, mentally sighed with relief, and cringed at having to spend five more minutes in his company. She'd honestly rather just pull the small blaster strapped to her thigh and shoot him already. "Thank you, Sheev. That means so much to me."

"Think nothing of it, Padmè. I will always make time for you whenever possible."

"You're too kind," she said as she led the way to the second dining room. _And a kriffing liar._

As she passed her friend hovering in the doorway, she mouthed, 'Call Obi-Wan'. Satine blinked once in acknowledgment, nodded respectfully to the Chancellor, and then moved on down the hallway as they entered the somewhat crowded room.

Padmè politely pushed her way to the table full of various wines from all over the galaxy. "Sorry, Nee. Pardon me, Lavina. Just getting a drink for…" The ladies nodded and made way, seeing the Chancellor behind her, smiling benignly. She filled a crystal goblet half full for Palpatine and another for herself, _because Force knows, I could use the false bravado of alcohol_. "Here you go, Sheev."

"Thank you."

"Come. We'll talk outside where it's quieter." Padmè skirted her way around people and tables, aiming for the glass door onto the balcony.

Sheev followed, smirking slightly as a light breeze molded Padmè's fluttery dress to her shapely body. _If I was thirty years younger, that woman would be mine and not Skywalker's. It's too bad I couldn't get her interested in any of my sons, either, before Skywalker grew up; it would have been fun to watch him pine after his Force chosen soulmate. _He took a sip of his drink as they came to a stop by a pillar on the multileveled balcony. "This brandy is as fine as ever, thank you."

Padmè had taken a larger gulp than she should have. She coughed delicately before she could say, "You're welcome."

"Now, what is this bill about?"

She relaxed slightly as they fell into familiar territory. "It's about halting the rapid aging of the clones…"

* * *

Satine slipped out the door and into the hallway that led to the lift and the other apartment on this floor. She pulled out her comm and poked at the button to make a call. Obi-Wan's image popped up a few seconds later. "Where are you?" she hissed at it before he could say anything.

The turbolift dinged and the doors opened.

Satine spun around. Her husband stepped out, smirking as he said, "Right behind you, it would seem."

"Obi!" She rushed over to him, only stopping from throwing herself into his arms at the last second as she saw Jedi Masters Fisto and Mundi still standing in the lift right behind him. She nearly gasped as he took the last step and wrapped an arm around her waist, kissing her forehead affectionately. "Obi-Wan! What are…" She looked at the other Jedi in alarm and found them grinning at her widely. She huffed and looked up at her smirking husband. "You told them as well, I take it?"

"I did. And I withdrew from the High Council."

"Obi…" She reached up and touched his bearded jaw. She knew how much that coveted spot had meant to him.

He grasped her hand gently and kissed her knuckles. "It's all right, dear, I'm still a Jedi, so no harm done. We'll talk about it later, though. We have a Sith Lord to catch first."

"Right. Of course. I just saw him go on the balcony with Padmè."

"Good. Everything's going according to plan then." He paused just outside Padmè's door and gave her a hopeful look. "I don't suppose I can talk you into going back to your apartment now, can I?"

"Not a chance."

He took one look at her steely eyed, squinty look and huffed out a sigh. "I didn't think so. At least try and remember that you're carrying our future and stay out of harm's way, okay?"

Her steely eyed look transformed into an all out death glare. "Do I look like an idiot to you?"

Obi-Wan merely smiled, long used to her warning looks by now. "I would never dare call you so, no. But there are times when I wonder…" he teased as they entered the apartment.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi!" she hissed while plastering on a pleasant smile for those who turned to see the newcomers with curious eyes. "You are going to find yourself sleeping on the couch tonight, at this rate!"

Behind them, Kit and Ki-Adi were nearly choking on their stifled laughter. Kit thought affectionately of his own secret mate and was glad that Aayla wasn't QUITE so shrewish. Ki-Adi was thinking that the Duchess was almost exactly like his favourite and first wife, Shea.

"Then you can join me there when you get lonely," Obi-Wan replied cheekily in a barely audible tone as they stopped at the glass doors.

_Ooooo. Good answer, _Kit thought. _I'm definitely using that one._

Obi-Wan smiled grimly as his comm link chirped once in a preplanned signal. "Perfect timing again." _We're on a roll for once. _He glanced down at his wife, eyes very serious now and leaning towards dark grey. "Please stay in here. I can't afford to be distracted by my worry for you."

"All right."

"Thank you."

Satine watched him and his fellow Jedi stride out onto the balcony, her heart jumping around in her throat, as two speeders and four LAAT gunships surrounded the balcony. All the senators in the room with her rushed to the big windows and slid open more doors so they could see and hear what was happening.

"What's going on?" Organa asked, appearing at her side as clones in white and orange armour smoothly jumped out of their ships and made a solid wall of bodies around the edge of the entire balcony, at least fifty strong.

"They just discovered that Palpatine is a Sith Lord."

The room full of senators practically gasped as a whole. Bail Organa cursed. "Kriffing hells, that explains a lot."

"It does, doesn't it?"

* * *

Anakin parked his speeder right behind Rex's at the edge of the balcony, setting it to hover indefinitely. By the time he jumped out, Cody, Windu, Yoda, and Koon had already disembarked and the Masters were striding to a shocked and furious looking Palpatine, while Cody joined his men, all holding blasters at the ready. Rex joined Cody, and Ahsoka bounded into step beside Anakin, slipping an unfamiliar feeling lightsabre into his hand. He hooked it to his belt at the back.

_"Are you ready for this?" _Ahsoka asked, concerned for her Master's mental wellbeing.

_"As ready as I'll ever be. I think I'm still in shock."_

_"You don't need him, anyway. You have the rest of us who love and support you a million times more than that old sleemo ever could."_

_"Thank you, Snips."_

_"Anytime, Skyguy."_

They joined the line of Jedi facing Palpatine and a hovering Padmè. Anakin flicked his gaze towards her, silently thanking her for doing her part so well. She smiled tightly in return and backed away as unobtrusively as possible.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Palpatine practically growled at Windu. Sensing more Force strong presences behind him, he turned his head quickly. He found Kenobi, Fisto, and Mundi approaching him from behind. Not liking being boxed in at all, he added, "I demand an answer!"

Mace Windu, as Master of the High Council, had stopped one step ahead of the others with him. "The answer is simple, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. In the name of the Republic, I declare you under arrest for treason against the very thing you proclaim to protect."

Palpatine barked out an evil sounding laugh that cackled on the air, making Padmè back away even further out of a hair-raising sense of self-preservation. "You have no proof of such things. If anyone is the traitors, it's you!"

Mace smiled in a way that showed many teeth and was anything but pleasant looking. "Oh, but we do. And soon, so will the entire galaxy. They will all turn on you once they find out that you've been playing both sides of the war for your own ends, Palpatine. Or should I call you Darth Sidious?"

Palpatine cackled again, lying his scrawny ass off as he said, "Where did you get such an insane idea as that?"

Anakin stepped forward and ignited a red lightsabre. "This isn't yours then?"

Palpatine's eyes widened and then narrowed as he looked at his original lightsabre, nearly fifty years old and quite precious to him. "Where did you get that?" he hissed.

Anakin turned it off and hooked it to the back of his belt again as he said, "In a statue in your office."

Sidious snarled, whatever mask of pleasantness he'd been clinging to falling away and suddenly making him look decades older and uglier. "You were trespassing?!" His voice rose in pitch and his eyes changed colour as rage took over as he felt his long groomed hold on Skywalker slip away. "HOW DARE YOU!"

* * *

In a caf shop near the Senate Building, Canny found a file named 'Control Chips'. Curious, he read through that one quickly, cursing under his breath, hand going to his temple automatically. "Frag, we're just like droids," he muttered under his breath.

The next file was named, 'Clone Protocols'. Now working past the sinking feeling in his gut, he opened it. His eyes flew down the aurebesh symbols, widening with each order he read. When he got about halfway down, he cursed loud enough to make other patrons enjoying their caf and donuts turn their heads and look at him curiously. "Shabla haran!" (Fortunately, none of them seemed to know Mando'a.)

He pulled out a comm link that already had Commander Cody's frequency set to go.

But it was too late. Commander Cody didn't answer, already occupied with his latest command.

* * *

Sidious turned his eyes to the Clone Commander just visible to the left of Skywalker. "You heard them, Commander Cody, they just admitted to trespassing and stealing. That is treason against me! EXECUTE ORDER SIXTY-SIX!"

Cody, Rex, and every clone that heard the order stiffened, their eyes going blank behind their buckets. "Yes, Sir!" they said as one. Fingers tightened on triggers and their blasters changed targets.

Every Jedi on the balcony stiffened as well as the Force practically shouted, 'DANGER!' at them. They didn't even really have time to wonder much more than, _What the frag is Order sixty-six?_

"ANAKIN!" Padmè screamed as she saw most of the clones target her husband with the rest picking the other Jedi on the balcony at random.

Anakin and the other Jedi had already sensed their impending doom, though, and were spinning around, lightsabres jumping into their hands and igniting as the first wave of simultaneous shots rang out. _I think I know what Order sixty-six is, _Anakin thought grimly (along with pretty much everyone else).

As Anakin turned around, Palpatine summoned the lightsabre off the back of his belt, grinning as it shot into his hand. A second lightsabre appeared from inside his sleeve, made from a synthetic, non sentient crystal that didn't whine, so it was safe to carry around the Jedi.

As if time had slowed to the barest crawl, Anakin watched the blasters of his friends fire at him, at least twenty shots, all aiming for him all at once. He knew he'd never be able to block them all; it just wasn't physically possible. _I'm dead. _But some instinct had his free hand flying up, palm outwards, and he commanded the blaster fire to come to a halt in midair.

They did, freezing in blue streaks above the balcony.

The rest of the Jedi had no problem deflecting the remaining shots, sending them harmlessly up into the air above the gunships.

And then everyone stared at the hovering blaster bolts with wide eyes, including Anakin. _I didn't know I could do that!_

_I didn't know he could do that! _almost everyone else thought.

The stunned silence only lasted for a couple of seconds before Cody said in an emotionless voice, "Keep firing."

So the clones did, fingers tightening on triggers again.

Grimacing at what he was doing, and sending an apology to his Padawan, Anakin pushed the bolts he had control of back to where they came from with even more force than they had been sent, sending almost half of the clones flying backward off the balcony and either back into the hovering gunships and onto the speeders, or to their death far below. Cody and Rex ended up back inside a LAAT, thankfully, but he had no idea if they survived their own plasma blasts.

And he didn't have time to find out, because there was still thirty more clones firing at him and the other Jedi, sending a hail of blaster fire flying all over the place, and a sense of extreme danger coming from behind him. Anakin whirled back around just in time to see Darth Sidious leaping through the air at him with two red blades ignited and a fiendish look in his now bright yellow eyes.

_This ends here, Sith scum! _Anakin thought as he leapt up too, lightsabre brandished high.

* * *

Ahsoka couldn't believe it when the clones turned on them.

All of them.

Even Rex.

Rex who loved her and had tried more than once to die for her while on the battlefield. (The sweet idiot.)

Rex who also loved Anakin like one of his own brothers.

Rex who was aiming right for her Master as if he was just another droid.

_Rex, NO!_

And then Anakin stopped the shots and time stood still for her.

_"How are you doing that?"_

More blaster bolts rained on the rest of them, but she hardly even noticed. Somewhere in her mind, she might have registered that Master Plo was covering her as well as himself with a blur of his blue lightsabre, but it certainly wasn't at the front of her mind.

_"I have no idea," _Anakin thought back. She could feel his surprise at his own feat. _"I'm sorry, Snips," _he thought to her a second later, just before he sent the bolts back at the clones.

Ahsoka nearly cried when she saw Rex go flying into the gunship and almost got herself shot yet again as she stood like a statue for precious seconds until she was sure that Rex was still alive, never more grateful for their bond that let her feel him than she was in that moment.

Reassured, she got her head back in the game, and started sending shots back at the clones still standing as precisely as she could, aiming for their chests where their armour was the thickest and would absorb the bolts the best, but still knock them out from the jolt to the heart. Around her, Koon, Fisto, Windi, and Mundi were doing the same.

* * *

Obi-Wan deflected a blaster bolt back at a clone, having quickly come to the conclusion that it was necessary if they were going to regain control of the situation. Then he was running forward to help Anakin, holding out a hand to push Sidious back. The Sith Lord's back slammed against a pillar, but he was rushing forward again in what felt like an instant. _"Anakin! Wait for me! Don't take him on alone!"_

_"Then hurry up! Cause I'm not just going to stand here and let him cut me down!"_

Behind Obi-Wan, the sound of glass shattering and screams almost didn't make it past his intense focus; he had so much else to concentrate on as he let the Force guide his movements, blocking shots and running as fast as he could. _How did I end up so far away from Anakin already?_

But then a feminine cry that he recognized accompanied by the ghost of a flash of pain in his arm had him spinning back around. "Satine!"

Obi-Wan's eyes quickly shot to where he'd left his wife and found most of the glass walls lying in dangerous shards on the ground and saw senators running for cover inside the apartment in three different rooms. He just caught a glimpse of his amethyst covered Duchess diving behind a couch, and he breathed a sigh of relief. _If she's still moving, then she's all right. _

Obi-Wan spun back around and aimed again for the fight that was now between Anakin, Yoda, and Sidious. _At least he's not fighting him alone anymore. _

But Yoda and Anakin had never trained to work together like that, and they found themselves interfering with each other more than being of any real effect against Sidious' flying red lightsabres other than to barely stop them from chopping them to bits.

Obi-Wan slid into place beside Anakin and Yoda graciously backed away a bit, instead turning his focus on protecting them from flying blaster bolts so they could concentrate entirely on disarming Sidious. The sound of singing lightsabres and blasters filled the air as the two Jedi worked seamlessly together, going on the offensive and slashing at Sidious with synchronized blows. They kept their bond wide open so they knew exactly what the other was going to do before they did it.

And they were winning, driving Sidious back until he was pinned up against one of huge pillars that held up the roof the balcony.

* * *

Applying pressure to her upper arm where a piece of flying glass had sliced her, Satine found herself beside Riyo on the other side of the couch they'd both picked as a source of cover. The little senator from Pantora had tears streaming down her face and she looked incredibly pale for a blue skinned person. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?" Satine asked as she looked her over for wounds. She didn't see any obvious ones.

Riyo shook her head, her lips and chin trembling.

"Then what?"

"Ca..Ca..Cody!" she whisper-whimpered. "He tried… And then Skywalker… And now he's probably…" She burst into ugly, wailing tears, burying her face in Satine's shoulder.

_I think I've figured out who Riyo's mate is. _

Ignoring her copiously bleeding arm for the moment, Satine patted the shaking girl's back comfortingly. "He might not be dead, Ri. They have good armour." _Not beskar, but better than some._ "And I'm sure I saw him fall into a ship and not to the ground. Don't give up yet." _We'll just pretend to ignore the little fact that the he just turned on his Generals and probably won't survive the consequences of such an action if he IS still alive. _

Riyo hiccupped and settled a little, her wails quieting. "Okay," she managed to squeak out.

* * *

Rex landed on the hard durasteel decking of the gunship with a grunt, his H.U.D. going nuts from the blue bolt that had struck his helmet right in the forehead. As his head crashed against the floor, his helmet basically finished shattering as it absorbed the impact, but the electricity in it surged through him, knocking him out.

When he woke up who knows how many minutes later, Rex shoved his shattered bucket off his head, gasping for air since the filters had stopped working. The movement sent his pounding head to spinning, and it was all he could do to keep the candy he'd had for dinner in his stomach where it belonged. He took a few deep breaths, squinching his eyes closed, until the pounding settled a little. But there was still a sharp pain in his temple, like his brain was being fried there.

_ What happened?_

_Can't think. _

_Frag, it hurts._

With a badly shaking hand, Rex fumbled in his belt for a pain relief stim and then jabbed himself in the thigh with it, not even remotely sure he could talk his hand into getting anywhere near his neck.

It took a few seconds longer than normal, but the stim kicked in and his brain stopped trying to evacuate his skull, at least, settling down to a dull pounding that he could live with.

Grunting, he sat up and assessed the situation.

Beside him, Cody and two more brothers of the 212th were sprawled on the floor of the LAAT. Outside, more brothers were firing on the Jedi on the curved balcony. The Jedi were returning the shots as best as they could with their flashing lightsabres of blue, green, and purple and simply deflecting the rest. The windows were shattered on the apartment and he could see people inside, ducking and screaming. And his General was fighting Palpatine with Cody's General at his side, looking like they were doing all right.

_Why the frag are my brothers firing at the Generals? _

Not able to think of a good answer, Rex turned his focus back to Ahsoka for a few seconds, reassured to see that she seemed to be holding her own and didn't appear hurt.

Rex turned his attention back to Cody, worried for his brother, who had a huge blaster burn across his chestplate. "Cody. Hey vod! You dead?"

Pulling off Cody's helmet, he was relieved to see Cody's eyes open, if staring blankly. He was mumbling something under his breath, so Rex leaned over closer to listen.

"Good soldiers follow orders. Execute Order Sixty-six. Good soldiers follow orders. Execute Order Sixty-six."

Rex's eyes widened in alarm as Cody just kept repeating those two lines over and over. It was the first one that really got him, though, because he'd heard 'Good soldiers follow orders' in his nightmares for as long as he could remember.

On Cody's other side, Boil groaned and then sat up. Judging by the blaster mark, he'd been hit in the midsection. Not even looking at Cody (who Boil practically worshipped), or Rex, Boil rose stiffly to his feet, raised his blaster that he'd somehow kept a hold of, and started shooting at the Jedi again.

"Boil, STOP!" Rex yelled, jumping up to his feet. Boil ignored him. "I command you to stop!"

Boil stopped shooting and turned his bucket slowly. "Good soldiers follow orders," he droned. "Order Sixty-six cannot be overridden by any other orders." His head turned back towards the balcony and he resumed firing. And as far as Rex could tell, Boil seemed to be targeting Ahsoka specifically. (At least it seemed that way to his panicked mind.)

_Shit, shit, shit, shit! _Rex reached for his blasters but found both of his holsters empty. He looked around the gunship frantically and finally spotted one of them almost hidden under Cody's leg. He snatched it up and pointed it at what would be Boil's temple if his bucket were a head. "Sorry, vod."

Rex pulled the trigger.

Boil fell.

But thanks to the helmet, he still breathed.

_My brother's have all lost their minds! _

And then Cody started to methodically get himself up.

With no time to shove Cody's bucket back on, Rex switched his blaster to stun and shot his brother before he could do more than make it halfway to his feet. Cody fell back down and stayed down.

And then the familiar sound of more gunships approaching the balcony from below filled the air at the same time as the comm on his vambrace chimed.

As Rex ran to the window on the other side of the LAAT, he answered his comm, not bothering with the holo. "Yes?" he asked as he peered downwards and saw the four gunships that contained his 501st brothers flying upwards. And off in the distance, towards the military base, a huge fleet of gunships were flying off in two different directions. About two thirds of them towards the Jedi Temple and the rest headed this way. _Cody, what have you done?_

"Captain Rex! Thank shab! You finally answered. Commander Cody blocked my calls and I was really worried!"

"What is it, Canny?" (There was something in the young clone's tone that Rex just knew right away as the brother he just met an hour or so ago.)

"Palpatine's files! I've just found something terrible! There are control chips in all of our brains! And a giant list of orders that if given by the Chancellor, can't be overridden!"

"That explains a lot," Rex muttered darkly as he rubbed his aching temple. _I must have been like the others, but the shot to my head shorted out the chip! _"Can you tell me what Order Sixty-six says?"

"It says: In the event of Jedi officers acting against the interests of the Republic, and after receiving specific orders verified as coming directly from the Supreme Commander, a.k.a. Chancellor, GAR commanders will remove those officers by lethal force and command of the GAR will revert to the Supreme Commander until a new command structure is established."

"Shabla haran!" Rex cursed as he smashed his fist against the control panel of a weapons locker in the gunship until the hatch opened. He replaced his missing blaster, and then swung a couple of rifles across his back, just in case.

"That's what I thought, too."

"Canny, I need you to contact the Jedi Temple somehow, I don't care how, and tell them that the clones are coming and that they are not themselves. The best way to stop them is with a blaster or electrical shot to the bucket, understand? When the helmet's systems fry it will short-circuit the chips too and they should come back to their original selves when they wake up. Or even better, just tell them to lock the kriffing doors and don't let them in!"

"Okay. But how do you know that?"

"Because it worked for me, so I'm hoping it will work for the rest."

Then Rex cut off the call and leapt out of the LAAT, blasters in hand and already shooting at the nearest clone in white and orange still standing. (Fortunately there were only a few of those left.)

Above him, gunships containing the 501st hovered above the 212th ships and the doors opened. Fifty more soldiers in white and blue jumped down from above, adding to the chaos as they started shooting at the Jedi as well.

Rex backed up, still shooting, until he joined the newly formed defensive circle of Jedi that contained Ahsoka, Koon, Fisto, Windu, and Mundi, hoping to the stars that they didn't send a bolt his way on purpose if he wasn't facing them.

It worked.

"Rex!" Ahsoka yelled over the racket of blaster shots and flying lightsabres. "You're okay!"

"Yeah, I am," he said grimly back. "But they're not. I just found out that all of us clones have control chips in our heads that we literally cannot disobey when they're activated by a specific order from the Chancellor. The only way to stop them is to shoot their helmets and short out the chips."

"Isn't that a little risky?" Ahsoka said, sparing half a second to glance at her mate's face, and saw the pain in his furrowed brows. (It wasn't all physical.) She modified her aim anyway, taking him at his word.

"It's a risk that we'll just have to take. It's not like we have time to perform surgery on all of them. I'm just thankful that Cody seemed out of it enough to only transmit from his helmet, which has a limited range, or the entire galaxy's worth of Jedi would now be under attack by the clones with no warning whatsoever," Rex said, never pausing as he shot from behind the guard of Ahsoka's and General Koon's lightsabres.

"Oh my Force! That would be dreadful!" she exclaimed.

"But he did manage to contact all of the clones at the base, didn't he?" General Windu asked from the other side of General Koon, clearly already sensing the answer.

"Yes. There's more coming this way, and the rest headed for the Temple."

"Frag."

"Canny is warning the Temple."

"Thank you, Captain Rex."

"Don't thank me yet. All of my brothers are trying to kill us."

* * *

Padmè could only watch with wide, anxious eyes from the far corner of the balcony that she'd tucked herself into behind the last support pillar as her husband and his Master fought with Palpatine. She'd palmed her small blaster what felt like an hour ago and was dearly wishing for the opportunity to shoot the traitorous bastard, but she was terrified of hitting Anakin or Obi-Wan by accident since they were all moving so fast.

The night air around them glowed in shades of red and blue and purple as their lightsabres defied the eye to keep up. And their feet danced as they flowed through their forms in a dance of block and parry and thrust and spin and leap.

And then there was Master Yoda, his tiny frame literally bouncing all over the place as he kept himself between the moving combatants and the clones trying to shoot them down. (They didn't seem worried about accidentally hitting Palpatine. Maybe just that confident in their aim?) Padmè doubted that Anakin and Obi-Wan even realized that they were being protected so diligently by the ancient Master.

It was breathtaking to watch.

And also not accomplishing anything, and she hated feeling useless.

Since she couldn't aim at Palpatine, Padmè went for the next best thing; she started taking shots at the seemingly endless supply of clones.

That went well enough until Palpatine decided to change the game again.

* * *

Skywalker and Kenobi had him pinned and Sidious didn't like it.

So he sacrificed a little speed with one of his lightsabres to throw patio furniture at them. He cackled as a chair nearly walloped Kenobi, the annoying Jedi ducking at the last second. "You think you can beat me?! I have all the power!" He picked up another chair with the Force and flung it at Anakin.

Using the distraction to his advantage, Sidious flipped away from the pillar and back out into the open.

Anakin slashed right through the chair with a snarl. _If he wants to play rough, then we'll play rough. _He found his enemy again, already slashing at Obi-Wan with both of his red lightsabres, and jumped back into the fray.

At least, his lightsabre arm did.

His left, he held behind his back, palm up, as he pictured where an entire set of furniture was, ornamental centerpiece fireplace included, and raised the lot just off the ground and pulled it towards himself. At the last second, he yelled, _"Jump!" _in his Master's mind.

Trusting Anakin, Obi-Wan did.

The heavy furniture crashed into an unsuspecting Sidious, sending him flying.

Anakin smirked as they landed and ran after their quarry. Sidious was lying in a heap by the ruined glass wall of the small dining room, weaponless, his lightsabres lost somewhere. They pointed their blue laser swords at the groaning old man. "Not all the power, Chancellor," he taunted. "You forget what I am."

Sidious caught a flash of a fluttery blue skirt in his peripheral vision. He smirked as he all but ignored the blades searing heat into his chest. "No, I don't."

And then he flung out his right hand and grabbed onto Padmè's Force signature and SQUEEZED as he dragged her out from the corner she'd been hiding in, the blaster falling from her grasp.

Anakin gasped as his beloved was invisibly choked right in front of his eyes, her hands scrabbling at her neck helplessly. "LET HER GO!" he yelled.

Sidious rose to his feet as he squeezed just a little harder and brought the girl around in front of him as a shield. "Throw your lightsabres over the edge and I might consider it," he parried with.

"No! You drop her now and I might let you live!"

Sidious laughed, tightening his Force grip even more so her feet started kicking in midair. "Stupid boy. We all know you're both going to do what I ask. Because I do know what you are, Anakin Skywalker. I know you are weak with love for this girl. I know you will do anything to protect her. And I know Kenobi will follow your lead because he can't bear to see you suffer."

"A..ni," Padmè wheezed out as she saw the resolve weaken on her beloved Knight's face. Saw him glance at Obi-Wan with defeat in his eyes. "No. Must. Win."

Heart tearing between his duty and his wife, Anakin finally understood why Jedi weren't supposed to have attachments.

"I'm sorry, Mey." he said, jaw set in a determined line. "I won't lose you. Not even to win!" _But that doesn't stop me from winning next time!_

And then he threw his still lit, precious lightsabre over the balcony. He could literally feel the Kyber crystal in it getting further and further away as it fell hundreds of metres. (Fortunately for those below, it turned itself off before it hit the ground.)

Sidious laughed in a way that sent chills down the spine of everyone that heard it. "Good, good. Now you, Kenobi."

Obi-Wan turned off his sabre and gazed at it in a fond farewell for a moment. _"The things I do for you, Anakin."_ His lightsabre went flying as well.

Anakin winced. _"Sorry, Master." _Then he glared at Sidious again. "Now drop her like you promised."

The look of extreme satisfaction in Sidious' yellow and red eyes should have warned him.

"As you wish."

And then Sidious threw Padmè over the edge of the balcony as well with a mighty shove of the Force.

She didn't even scream, pretty much expecting this outcome, considering the way things had been going.

But he did.

"PADMÈ!"

The clones actually stopped shooting for a couple of seconds as they watched with dispassionate eyes as their General dove off the balcony after his wife. Only the shinys in the group experienced a faint sense of surprise as a hint of emotion made it past the control chips in their heads. The rest had seen their General perform similar feats of insanity before and were pretty much immune to surprise when it came to what he would randomly do.

"There he goes again," Obi-Wan said into the brief silence with a shake of his head, stating what many were thinking. _Is there something wrong with me that I'm not worried that my Padawan just jumped off a balcony a hundred stories up?_

_Nah._

The remaining clones (about twenty now) resumed their attack on the Jedi for only a handful more seconds before something else caught their attention. And in this case, it was something none of them had ever seen before.

* * *

Satine jumped slightly when someone dropped down beside her, she was so intent on watching the action outside. Turning her head quickly, she relaxed the sudden tension she'd had on the trigger of her pocket sized deactivator. "Mon. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," the Senator of Chandrila said softly. "It's you I'm worried about. There's a puddle of blood on the carpet beside you."

Satine looked down. "So there is." She glanced at the gash on her arm. "I actually forgot about that, you know, with what's going on out there."

"You're hurt?" Riyo said from her other side. "Why didn't you say something?"

Satine raised a brow. "I'm Mandalorian?"

The other women laughed softly as Mon held up a knife and a fluffy white dish towel. "I got these from the kitchen so we can at least bind it until you can see a med droid. Don't need you passing out from blood loss or anything."

Satine smirked. "Not likely. I might be a pacifist now, but I still grew up with the more traditional Mandalorian ways, and I can tell you, I've had much worse than that little cut while training with my clan." _That bloody civil war was no picnic either._

Mon rolled her eyes as she enlisted Riyo's help in holding the towel while she cut it into more manageable strips of cloth. "Whatever. I'm still putting a bandage on you."

"Thank you," Satine conceded as the auburn haired senator did just that. She kept half an eye on the binding job and the rest of her attention on the battle outside, most notably the fight between her husband and Palpatine.

When Mon was finished, she smiled at her work. "There. Now you'll at least make it out of here still conscious," she teased.

Satine shot her a quick smile but outside was infinitely more fascinating.

"I thought those were for droids," Mon said, tilting her chin at Satine's deactivator as she settled into a kneel beside her as they peeped over the back of the couch.

Satine smirked. "Technically, yes. But I'll tell you a little known secret; you can use them on the electrical systems in helmets too. Works great if you need a second or two to escape or take out an enemy while they're distracted with their H.U.D. going haywire."

Mon gave her an amused look. "Are you sure you're a pacifist?"

Satine snorted. "If I wasn't, I'd be out there, shooting the crap out of those clones right now." _Bo would think it was fun._ "This is just in case the clones decide to come after us next."

"Hunh. What's up with them, anyway? I thought they were loyal to their Jedi generals. Now they're shooting at them."

"I've been thinking about that," Riyo answered Mon. "The clones are essentially programmed to follow the orders of their highest commander, right?"

"Right."

"So… What if the Chancellor is the highest Commander according to their programming?"

"That… makes a sick kind of sense. I'm sure I heard Palpatine yell something at Commander Cody about executing an order just before everything went to hells," Satine said just before her eyes widened and she sucked in a shocked breath. "No! He's got Padmè!"

"That kriffing sleemo!" Riyo snarled.

"My sentiments exactly," Mon replied.

"I've always thought so," Satine added.

The women could only watch with worried eyes as Anakin negotiated for their friend's life. And then they were gasping in shock with hands over pounding hearts as Padmè was thrown off the balcony and Anakin jumped after her.

"He'll get her, right?" Riyo squeaked.

Satine sucked in a breath after holding it for too long. "I'm sure he will."

* * *

Anakin arrowed down through the darkish night, lit windows whipping past in a blur in his peripherals, and speeder traffic making sudden swerves and stops as they witnessed people falling from the sky. The young Knight basically ignored it all as he focused on the billowing blue and gold dress on the woman who had claimed his heart and soul in his dreams when he was just a child.

As he closed the distance between them, and her eyes came into focus, the love and trust in them filled him to the brink with a peaceful confidence that was in no way arrogant. _I know I'm not supposed to have attachments, but mine just feel so right, I don't know how they can be wrong. _

He zipped past her and then flattened his body out into a horizontal position, letting the air slow him down, and caught her in his arms a second later.

Padmè wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling even as they continued to fall.

The last few stories of her apartment building whipped by as they stared into each other's eyes, speaking silent declarations of undying love.

Sensing the street approaching, Anakin finally let her go with one hand and pushed back against the ground, slowing their descent down to a near hover for the last metre. He touched the ground with an agile bend of the knees amid gasps from the watching crowd and the flashing lights of both reporters and police droids, who were trying to deal with the broken clone bodies that had fallen earlier.

Neither cared to notice their background.

"I knew you'd catch me," she whispered, tightening her arms around his neck for a second in a secret hug.

He bent his head and whispered back, "And I always will, my beautiful Angel," as he set her down gently on her feet. His lips skimmed her ear, sending pleasant shivers down her spine as he added, "Love the dress. Dance with me in it later?"

Padmè pulled back from his arms and made a show of smoothing down her dress and checking her hair for her new combs, pleased to find them miraculously still in place, considering how the wind had been wrecking havoc with her hair on the way down. "Of course," she answered in a normal voice. "I am grateful once again for your dedication to your duty, Master Skywalker."

He grinned. "All in a night's work, Senator Amidala." He glanced around at the crowd. "Now, if you wouldn't mind staying down here for a bit for your own safety, I need to return to our little problem up above."

Padmè nearly rolled her eyes but the curious gazes of hundreds had her smiling tightly instead. "If you think that's best."

"I do." Anakin nearly laughed as she let him feel her displeasure. But more pressing matters had him glancing around. "Now where did…"

He smiled as he tuned into both his and Obi-Wan's Kyber crystals and called them to him, holding one hand out to the side and the other to the front. Both lightsabres were ripped from the grips of the people who had found them, startled cries wafting on the air. "You didn't actually think you'd get to keep that, did you?" he called out to the unlucky idiots as the lightsabres forced their way past dozens of bodies, eliciting more exclamations and curses. They finally landed in his hands at nearly the same time to gasps of awe and whispers of 'magic' and 'sorcerer'.

He clipped the lightsabres to his belt, and with one last cheeky wink at an indulgently smiling Padmè, Anakin bent at the knee and PUSHED off the duracrete with every ounce of strength and whisper of the Force he could muster.

The crowd's eyes literally bugged out of their heads as he shot straight up into the sky so quickly and so high that he was a nothing but a speck in seconds.

_That's MY husband, _Padmè thought proudly.

And then she took off at a run for the street entrance to her apartment building, because there was no way in any of the Corellian Hells that she was missing the end of this.

* * *

Not more than thirty seconds after Anakin dove off the roof, Satine was suddenly lunging at the knife sitting on the floor behind her. "That's it. He's dead."

Riyo and Mon's eyes widened impossibly as their pacifist friend vaulted over the couch and ran right out into the battle, a look of deadly intent on her face.

The knife flashed with the reflected light of many colours as it flipped through the air.

As they witnessed the shocking turn of events, all of the hidden senators inside the apartment held their collective breaths.

The simple steak knife sank deep into its intended prey.

"Holy kriff! She really is a Mandalorian!" Riyo whispered-yelled in awe.

* * *

As Anakin flew upwards higher than he'd ever gone in one leap, expecting to land on a balcony and then jump again as needed, he had a sudden epiphany. _I'm pushing on the air as well as the ground down below!_ And then he could no longer feel the ground, but he could feel the air; air that was filled with miniscule particles. And in those particles resided tiny fractions of the Force, because the Force was in EVERYTHING and he could FEEL it.

That was the moment that Anakin learned to fly.

And the moment he truly accepted what he was.

What the Father had tried to tell him he could be.

_I AM one with the Force. I AM the Chosen One. I AM the bringer of peace. _

His blood sang with ecstasy as he flew higher and higher, pushing against the tiny particles of the Force. With every moment, he opened himself up to more and more of the Force, sucking in long forgotten knowledge like a sponge as it was joyfully offered.

_This, this is why I am. This is why I was created. I have a real purpose, and it is GOOD._

He flew all the way up past the highest hovering gunship and then landed with hardly a sound on top of it, assessing the situation.

He didn't like what he saw AT ALL, so he did something about it.

* * *

Sidious watched Anakin jump off the balcony with a sneer. "So predictable. He will always choose her over his duty as a Jedi." Turning back to the now weaponless Kenobi, a man he despised because he stood between himself and Skywalker (and his snarky attitude and classic good looks got on his nerves), Sidious grinned evilly. "And he'll always choose her over you. And that's why he'll be mine and you'll be dead!"

Obi-Wan barely had time to become alarmed, not to mention get away, before Sidious' hands were held up like claws and blue lightning was shooting from them. Despite having been electrocuted on more occasions than he cared to think about, this was so much worse than that. His nerve endings screamed with pain and it felt like his bones were trying to crawl out of his skin.

But that wasn't the worst part. He could deal with the pain if that was all there was to it.

The worst part was the flood of the Dark side that assaulted his Force signature, leaving him feeling like he'd just been dipped in tar and that all hope and love had been torn from his soul.

Between the twin assault on his body and soul, Obi-Wan collapsed to his knees and then over onto his side as he instinctively tried to curl into a ball. His teeth were clenched so tightly together, he couldn't even scream. And just like he'd always done, he'd instinctively closed down his bond between himself and Anakin so that his Padawan didn't experience his pain as well.

He forgot about his somewhat weaker, but most definitely there, bond with his Grandpadawan, though.

Ahsoka's cry of, "MASTER!" echoed around the balcony only a moment later.

Obi-Wan took faint comfort in her flood of love and concern just before he shut her out as well while Sidious' chilling laughter assaulted his ears and the bolts of lightning just kept coming.

And coming.

And coming.

And then it all stopped.

And the world around him was blessedly silent for one long second until it was interrupted by the sweetest screech he'd ever heard.

"That's my cyar'ika, you fragging scumbag of repulsive old bones!"

Obi-Wan cracked open his eyelids with a great deal of effort and saw his beloved wife looking like a fierce warrior goddess as she stood only metres away from an evil Sith Lord like it was nothing; a look on her face that clearly dared him to retaliate for whatever she'd done to make Sidious stop electrocuting him.

Obi-Wan stifled a groan as he pushed up onto an elbow at the same time that Darth Sidious slowly turned around and faced Satine. High on Sidious' back, just beside his left shoulder blade, and obviously just unlucky enough to barely miss his heart and spine, the silver handle of a steak knife jutted out from his dark red robes. Obi-Wan found the strength to twitch his facial muscles into a smile. _That's my fierce Mando girl. She'll be mad, though, that her aim was a little off. Out of practice, I guess._

_I wish she hadn't done it, though; I can practically taste his rage. _

_This is not going to end well._

Sidious added the pain in his back to the contained rage that already fueled his power in the Dark side. His eyes turned even more towards red as he gazed at the one that had somehow managed to stab him without him being aware of her presence. "Is that so? I see that Master and Padawan are even more alike than people realize. If only I'd known that you were Kenobi's weakness, I would have had you kidnapped and tortured long ago." Sidious held his right hand out and his original lightsabre flew into his hand from wherever it had fallen some long drawn out minutes ago. He ignited it with a sneer as he used his left hand to pick up the Duchess and drag her towards himself; while choking her, of course. "Let's rectify that, shall we? I doubt Kenobi will like you so much when you're missing all of your limbs!"

As Sidious picked up his wife with the Force, Obi-Wan surged to his feet on a sudden rush of adrenaline. He didn't know what he was going to do to actually stop him without a weapon, but tackling him to the ground seemed like a good place to start.

But he didn't have to, since a bolt of white lightning crashed into the balcony right in front of Sidious, sending Obi-Wan and Sidious flying backwards. Satine fell back down to the floor as well as the Sith Lord dropped her in his surprise. And from above all of them a multilayered voice that sounded suspiciously like Anakin's bellowed out right after the crack of noise, "THAT'S ENOUGH!"

All eyes turned upward and a collective gasp filled the sudden vacuum of silence.

Even Sidious was impressed and that was saying something.

For above them, framed by an impossible electrical storm building in the climate controlled sky, Anakin floated in the air, his tunics flapping in a breeze of his own making, and a white glow of lightning crackling around his entire body.

What shocked Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, the other Masters, and Sidious the most, though, was the fact that his eyes were glowing with a serene blue light, indicating that he was not using the Dark side to fuel his show of power.

A fleet of gunships had been approaching the balcony, but they all came to a sudden stop as if they had run into a barrier when the pilots got a look at the floating Jedi General that they all knew very well. (Anakin hung out with the clone pilots a lot as they laughed about the latest 'roger roger' joke and tinkered on ships.) Whoever was commanding the clones inside the ships (probably Commander Wollfe, since Master Plo was on planet) must have decided to wait and see what was happening before they advanced further towards the balcony or decided to shoot at Skywalker directly. (Even under the influence of the chips, the clones weren't stupid.)

Anakin held out a hand and Sidious rose high in the air until he was at the same level as Anakin, eyes bugging out as his entire body felt like it was being smashed between the walls of a garbage compactor. His red lightsabre fell from nerveless fingers and clattered back to the balcony.

Anakin stared at the Sith Lord calmly. "I should crush you for what you've done to the galaxy," he said in his weird echoing voice that even those down at street level could hear. (You can bet the reporters were recording gleefully.) "For all of the countless deaths. For all of the needless suffering. For all of the lies and schemes against the very Republic you claim false loyalty to, I should end you. But that is too quick an end for you. Returning you to the Force would only allow you to find another way to rule yet again in the future. So instead, Sheev Palpatine, Ex Supreme Chancellor, and Dark Lord of the Sith, I'm going to remove your connection to the Force and you're going to live out the rest of your life in the most miserable tiny box of a cell that the Republic can find."

"What? You can't, Anakin, I'm your friend! I've always supported you!" Sidious trembled in the invisible hold, begging even as he hastily erected the thickest shields he could come up with in his mind.

The crackling being that was Anakin Skywalker laughed without any joy. "All of it was lies. You wanted to use me. You wanted to train me to be your pet assassin. You were going to control me by twisting my emotions and sending me false visions."

"How…?"

"I have seen it all. I have seen the future you planned for me and for the galaxy. And I can read it in your mind right now despite your sad attempt at keeping me out. The Force has shown me the way to my true future. And you are most definitely not in it. And neither are the Inquisitorius, because I will find those children and help them find the Light again and undo your conditioning. I will also find your hidden Sith colony in the Unknown Regions and wipe that out as well. Your kind will end and your many evil cloning projects will all be found and destroyed or repurposed. Nothing that you have built or schemed towards will ever come to pass. Without you interfering, The Republic will flourish in peace with the Neutral Systems and the Confederacy of Independent Systems. YOU. ARE. FINISHED!"

As Sidious realized that all of his plans were turning out to be nothing more than wisps of dissipating fog, he whimpered, his will to fight leaving his barely breathing body.

And with that, Anakin delved further into Palpatine's mind until he found the part of his brain that communicated with the Force's midi-chlorians, and he killed those brain cells like turning off a switch. Palpatine would die of old age before his body reproduced enough of them to ever be a functioning Force user again.

Sidious felt it; not as a sense of pain, but like the sudden loss of his hearing or vision. He couldn't feel the Force around him anymore, something he'd relied on for his entire life, and it was the final straw that broke an already sketchy psyche.

He was a blubbering mess when Anakin returned him to the balcony in something less than a sudden drop, but only barely.

The clones took this as a signal to being the attack again, their minds still stuck in a loop regarding their last order from the Chancellor.

* * *

Padmè skidded into her apartment after a few minutes of frustrating lift rides and dropped down beside Riyo and Mon where they were hiding behind a couch. "What did I miss?"

Riyo looked at her with absolutely huge eyes, and Mon snorted softly. "A LOT."

Padmè looked over the couch at the chaos outside, which included her FLYING husband, and she essentially squeaked out, "Tell me!"

* * *

"STOP!" Anakin yelled as the clones shot at his friends again, while others pointed their blasters upwards and his way.

They didn't listen.

And the gunships that had been hovering nearby started firing on him as well.

Anakin automatically created a shield around himself, the bolts bouncing harmlessly off of it. _How do I fix this? I don't want to kill them all. They're my friends!_

Looking around frantically, he saw Rex fighting with Ahsoka instead of against her like he had been at the beginning, and got the sudden idea that his Captain might know how to fix this. "Rex!" he called as he floated a little closer, but not too close, so that the gunships didn't accidently hit his fellow Jedi. "How are you better?!"

Ahsoka answered for him, since she could communicate mentally much faster than Rex could talk. _"They have chips in their heads, Master! Rex was shot in the bucket and the jolt short-circuited the chip so he could think properly again! That's why we're trying to take them all out by deflecting their shots back at their helmets!" _

_"Got it. One insane lightning storm coming up!"_

_"You can do that?! Oh, yes, I guess you can," _she corrected herself as she remembered the lightning that had saved the Duchess.

_"I can do lots of cool things now, Snips. I should even be able to show you how to do most of them later."_

_"Sweet." _

Anakin chuckled at her eager tone even as he gathered up the energy swirling in the sky that he'd summoned earlier. With a casual point of his finger, he directed the white lightning to zip along the line of still standing clones on the balcony, specifically targeting their buckets.

They all fell with nearly identical grunts and twitched once or twice, then lay still on top of their already fallen brethren.

Anakin turned around and directed the clouds to strike the attacking gunships next, sending lightning right through each one and into the bucket of every trooper inside, using Force Sight as a kind of infrared.

The gunships started to fall out of the sky as their pilots passed out.

_"Anakin!" _Obi-Wan and Ahsoka yelled into his mind.

_"Don't worry. I got this," _he reassured as he flew into the approximate center of the falling ships and grabbed onto all eight of them with the Force. And then he folded space and time around all of them and sent himself and the gunships back to the military base where they belonged.

_"Did you just fragging teleport?!" _Obi-Wan asked incredulously after watching them disappear.

_"It's a little more complicated than that, but, yes, essentially," _Anakin replied as he carefully set the gunships down on their duracrete landing pad.

_"I knew it! I always knew teleportation was possible!" _Obi-Wan crowed. _"You have GOT to teach me how you did that!"_

_"Yes, Master," _Anakin laughed.

_"Anakin, there's more clones attacking the temple," _Ahsoka said, getting back to business.

_"Kark. I'll take care of it." _Anakin teleported again and started building another electrical storm above the Temple, frowning at the clone troopers who were doing their darndest to break down the doors. _"Someone call the ambulances and get all of the clones to med droids as soon as possible. I want those chips out of their heads."_

_"Master Windu is already taking care of that," _she answered with a mental smile. _"I don't think he was pleased to find out that the clones can be ordered to execute Jedi and is eager to fix it as quickly as possible."_

_"Can you blame him?"_

_"Not even a little bit. Oooooo. And he just sent a comm to Admiral Yularen to have every clone in the galaxy sent immediately to a med droid." _

_"Good for him."_

As Anakin grimly electrocuted the three battalions of clones attacking the fortunately locked down Temple, Ahsoka asked, _"Sooooooo, what brought on Super Anakin?"_

_"I'm not sure exactly. I guess just an accumulation of things all just finally clicked for me and I felt so at peace within myself that the Force could finally talk to me the way it's always tried to do, but I was refusing to listen."_

_"Hunh. Well, you're officially the coolest being in the galaxy now, anyway. You should have seen the Masters' faces when they first saw you floating in the sky with lightning all around you. It was kriffing priceless."_

_"I bet." _Anakin left the fallen clones where they were, since the ambulances were already on their way if the screeching sirens where anything to go by, and teleported back to Padmè's balcony.

He returned to a scene of controlled chaos as the senators helped load up the many fallen clones into ambulances and a team of police droids forced a still babbling Palpatine into an armoured speeder less than gently. _Serves him right. I hope he never sees the light of day again._

He glanced around, looking for his family. The first ones he found were Obi-Wan and Satine, kneeling on the ground, foreheads pressed together, clearly not worried about keeping their relationship secret anymore. Anakin smiled. _Soon enough, that will be Padmè and I as well. I wonder if she'd like to get married again? I'm sure the press would love that and it would be nice to have our family with us this time. _

Turning his head, he found Ahsoka and Rex working together as they helped a very shaken looking Kix sit up. _Poor man. Trying to kill a living being goes against everything he believes in. _

His eyebrows rose as he saw Riyo Chuchi all but bawling over Cody's body in one of the hovering gunships, clinging to his hand as she held it to her breast and her other hand running fingers tenderly over his scarred face. _Whoa. I did not see that coming at all. Cody is clearly better at keeping secrets than I am. _Striding over quickly, Anakin jumped into the ship and knelt on Cody's other side. It only took him but a second to feel Cody's Force signature still strong and essentially healthy. "He's okay, Senator. Just stunned and a little bruised. He'll come out of it soon enough."

Riyo looked up, revealing tear swollen gold eyes. "I know. I'm just mourning for him, because I know he won't want to show how much it will kill him when he realizes that he was essentially the one that ordered all of his brothers to shoot at his favourite Generals."

"Oh. Yeah. You're probably right." _Yep, that is definitely going to suck to live with. I'll make sure to tell him that I don't blame him at all, though. _

Cody chose that moment to groan and make a move to sit up, eyes blinking open but not really focusing.

Anakin held him down with a hand to his chest. "Easy there, Cody. You can just rest now. It's all over."

Cody's eyes flicked over Riyo, a hint of a smile crossing his lips as he saw her beaming at him, before landing on Anakin. Any warmth that had been creeping into his amber brown eyes disappeared in an instant. "Good soldiers follow orders. Execute Order Sixty-six," he said in the most dreadful monotone as he started patting around for his blaster rifle. Thankfully, it was nowhere in sight.

_Oh poodoo. _"Opps, I guess his shock didn't take the first time," Anakin joked, playing it cool for Riyo's sake, since she was now backing away with fear filled eyes. While holding a now struggling Cody down with his right hand, he pulled a little Force energy into his left (his right arm was still smarting from the earlier lightning aura that his mechanical arm did NOT like) and zapped Cody in the forehead with it, not sure exactly where the chips were located, so he went for central to be safe.

The clone commander's eyes rolled up in his head and he passed out again with a horrible groan of pain. "I think it worked that time," he said to Riyo, who crawled back.

"I hope so," she said as she grabbed Cody's hand again.

Anakin looked at the joined hands pointedly. "You know you could get both of you in serious trouble for that, right?"

"I know. And I don't care anymore. I will fight for my mate's rights in the Senate," she replied, her expression incredibly fierce for such a sweet little thing.

"And I'll help you," Padmè said from behind them.

"Thank you," Riyo said before essentially dismissing them as she turned her attention back to Cody.

Anakin turned around and beamed at his wife as he rose to his feet. "And I'm sure you'll win, because no one can resist your persuasive words."

"Not even you?" she teased as they walked back across the balcony, close, but not too close, together. (Still too many people around.)

"Definitely not me."

Anakin stopped beside his Master, who was now back on his feet, if looking a bit pale still. Anakin touched Obi-Wan's shoulder and sent him a burst of Force healing, soothing the still trembling nerves in his body.

Obi-Wan blinked as the wave of warmth swept through him from head to toe and he sucked in a deep breath as he straightened to his full height, feeling better than he had in years. "That's new, too."

Anakin grinned widely. "You'll never need to go in a bacta tank again, as long as I'm around."

"Thank kriff," Obi-Wan breathed. "I hate those things."

"I know," Anakin smirked. He unclipped the extra lightsabre from his belt and handed it over. "I rescued this for you."

Obi-Wan took it graciously. "I would have been disappointed if you had not."

"I know that too."

The men grinned at each other as Satine and Padmè shared an amused eye roll.

Masters Windu and Yoda strode up to their little group. (Well, Windu strode. Yoda hobbled double-time.) Anakin and Obi-Wan turned to face them. "Skywalker," Windu said, sounding very serious. "That was quite the show you put on."

"Yes. Impressive it was," Yoda added. "Fulfilling the prophesy you are. Knew I did, that the potential for greatness you had, but feared did I, that you would never find it. Happy am I, that you have."

"Thank you, Masters," Anakin said, bowing his head humbly. "I only wish to continue to make you proud of me. Today has brought me a clarity of mind that I've never found before and I have you to partially thank for that, for allowing relationships, which has eased my mind greatly. The secrecy was literally eating away at me."

"Yes, it would," Mace said grimly. He flicked his eyes at Obi-Wan. "I honestly don't know how you did it for so many years, Kenobi."

Obi-Wan shrugged slightly as he hugged Satine into his side a little tighter. "It wasn't easy much of the time, but my Force bond with Satine told me that it couldn't possibly be wrong. And her love and iron will held me up when the doubts crept in anyway."

Satine beamed up at her handsome riddur. "Thank you, Obi'ika. I do try."

Mace's eyebrows travelled up to the top of his forehead. "You have a Force bond with your wife, too?"

"Of course. I wouldn't have jeopardized my life with the Order otherwise."

"Same here," Anakin piped up, grinning at Mace's shocked expression. "I've had dreams about Padmè since I was about six years old."

"Amazing. But the women aren't Force sensitive, right?"

Both couples shook their heads, basically in sync.

"You don't have to be a Force user to find your fated soulmate," Satine said chidingly. "Even us Mandos know that."

Mace blinked, feeling rather stupid and somewhat left out. "Right." He shook his head slightly to clear the uncomfortable fuzz out of his brain. "New topic. Well, back to the original one, actually. The Council members that are here have talked it over, and we think that for what you have done today, and your incredible control of the Force, we are going to grant you the status of Jedi Master, Skywalker."

Anakin could only blink slowly, completely stunned. _I can't believe it! No one earns the rank of Master at the age of twenty! No one! _

It took a hearty clap on the back accompanied by a, _"Believe it, You've earned it," _from Obi-Wan, a, _"Congratulations, Master!"_ from Ahsoka, who suddenly popped up beside Plo Koon as the rest of the Jedi Masters joined the group, and a not so subtle poke in the ribs from Padmè to reanimate Anakin.

"Th…Thank you. I am honoured. I promise I won't let you down." The last words were technically addressed to Mace and Yoda, but he glanced at Padmè as he said them, and he knew that she understood they were meant for her too by the soft smile she gave him.

Yoda tapped him on the calf with his stick. "Kneel, Young Skywalker."

He did.

* * *

**A/N: So what did you think? Too over the top? Just right? Please tell me! I want to know! **

**Just an epilogue left with a guest appearance from Star Wars' new favourite ship. :D**


	10. Epilogue - Anakin's Legacy

**A/N: Just in case you've missed it somehow, I've already posted the new prologue for this story. I highly recommend that you read it first before reading this because they are very much connected to each other. **

* * *

**A/N 2: This calendar is not accurate, considering the dating system would never have been reset twice over with no rise of the Empire or Battle of Yavin, but for the sake of you being able to know when things actually happened in a way that you will understand, I'm leaving the calendar as BBY and ABY. If I were to change the calendar, I believe, according to my research, that Life Day Revelations would take place on D365/3634 ATC. (After the Treaty of Coruscant.) But I might be off by a year. lol. (Math is not my strongest subject.) **

* * *

**A/N 3: I had the idea in my head that by writing the epilogue in the following format, that it wouldn't take long to do and it would answer any possible questions you all had about what happened to who and when. **

**I. Was. Wrong. **

**Holy kriff on a crumb, did this ever take forever. I spent every spare minute I had working on this for 8 days. But I hope it was worth it. **

**If, for some reason you do have a question about who did what when, then pm me and I might add it to the story. But seriously, I think I covered everyone. And I do mean literally everyone. **

**Now go read this, and don't you dare skip ahead to the end where some actual storytelling and a lemon show up. :D**

* * *

**Epilogue – SuperAni's Legacy:**

_D1/20 BBY_

**SUPREME CHANCELLOR PALPATIINE, SITH LORD, ARRESTED FOR TREASON!**

**After gathering evidence against him, the Jedi High Council placed Palpatine under arrest and a massive battle ensued on the balcony of Senator Amidala's apartment, resulting in the casualties of 23 clone soldiers. He was eventually subdued by Jedi Knight, Anakin Skywalker. **

**Captain Typho, Amidala's head of security, was later heard saying that no matter what she says, he's not taking a day off again if she has plans, no matter what holiday it is.**

**Probably a good idea, considering how often the Senator seems to get shot at. **

* * *

**IS ANAKIN SKYWALKER A GOD?**

**After his spectacular defeat of Sith Lord Palpatine ('Sidious! My name is Sidious!' Palpatine was overheard screaming at authorities), during which Skywalker displayed unknown Force abilities that allowed him to fly, teleport, and control white lightning, the Jedi Knight was granted the rank of Master, continuing his tradition of early promotions.**

**Congratulations, Anakin! We now dub thee, SuperAni!**

* * *

**DUCHESS SATINE OF MANDALORE SECRETLY MARRIED TO A JEDI?**

**During the battle with Palpatine, the pacifist Duchess was seen throwing a knife at the disgraced Chancellor, who was, at the time, electrocuting Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi with some weird Sith power that had blue lightning coming from his hands. Sources say that the Duchess yelled at Palpatine, "That's my cyar'ika!" followed by some inventive name calling. For those who don't know Mando'a, a 'cyar'ika' is a soulmate and there's no power in the galaxy that can stop a Mandalorian from marrying their soulmate, not even a forbidden relationship between ancient enemies. **

**We can only assume that the Duchess and Kenobi are actually married, which begs the question: **

**For how long?**

* * *

**PALPATINE'S RED GAURDS ALL DEAD!**

**When a team of Jedi that included Skywalker, Kenobi, Tano, Fisto, and Koon, and a small army's worth of Senate Guards went to question and possibly arrest the Chancellor's personal guard of 10 specially selected men, they immediately put up a fight and would not quit until all had been subdued and stunned. After they had all woken up on route to a holding facility, the Red Guards simultaneously bit down on suicide pills. **

**We can only assume that the Red Guards knew sensitive information about the Chancellor and had been instructed to never be captured.**

* * *

**CLONES REVEALED TO HAVE CONTOL CHIPS IN THEIR BRAINS!**

**After millions of clones were sent to medical facilities galaxy wide at nearly the same time, a little investigating revealed that the Republic clone soldiers had been implanted with chips that essentially turned them into droids when the correct commands were given by the correct person. (The Chancellor.) **

**The question is, was it a smart move to take them out?**

* * *

_D2/20 BBY_

**BATTLES ACROSS THE GALAXY GRIND TO A HALT AS NEWS SPREADS THAT PALPATINE COMMANDED BOTH SIDES OF THE WAR!**

**Droids are left abandoned as Separatist Commanders and Generals flee the war in an understandable sense of self-preservation after the young but very formidable Master Skywalker vows to hunt them all down and bring them to justice. **

**Jedi Generals and clone troopers are left with clean up duty as close to a million B1 battle droids wander around various planets, looking quite lost.**

* * *

**BAIL ORGANA OF ALDERAAN VOTED NEW CHANCELLOR OF THE REPUBLIC!**

**The Senate voted in a late session last night after people were given the day to submit their names for consideration. Sources say that Senator and former Queen, Padmè Amidala of Naboo was encouraged to run for the coveted title, but she declined, stating only 'family' reasons. Mas Amedda of Champala, Orn Free Taa of Ryloth, and Tundra Dowmeia of Mon Cala also applied for the position, but lost in a landside vote in Organa's favour. **

**The Senate also voted to reset the Chancellor's power of authority back to pre-war levels. **

**Wise move.**

* * *

**DUCHESS SATINE / MASTER KENOBI MARRIAGE CONFIRMED!**

**In a public announcement today, our infamous 'Negotiator', Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, stated that he has stepped down from the High Council because he and his secret wife of 13 years, are expecting their first child. The Duchess was at his side for the announcement, and you could clearly see the love between them. When asked how her people had handled the news, she responded with, "About as well as can be expected, considering their ingrained hatred of Jedi, but they'll come around in time… Or not. I don't care either way. Obi-Wan is mine and they can go find themselves a new planet to live on if they don't like it." **

**Kenobi responded to this by stating, "To help things along a bit, I will be formally changing my last name to Kryze, as is proper for the consort of the Duchess anyway. Besides, my darling wife already has me trained to think of myself as a Kryze whenever she's scolding me," he added with a teasing glint in his eyes. **

**After muttering something to him that we couldn't hear (but we can guess had something to do with further scoldings), she then proceeded to kiss her very happy looking husband for what most would consider an inordinate amount of time, considering the public location and the disapproving frown of Master Windu. **

* * *

**'NO ATTACHMENT' RULE FOR JEDI ABOLISHED! **

**In the wake of Master Kryze's (Kenobi's) announcement, the press questioned the Master of the High Council, Mace Windu, on his thoughts on the matter. Despite wearing an expression that could only be called resigned and a little put upon, the Jedi Master stated, "As one of our best and most dedicated Jedi, we support Master Kenobi… ah, Kryze, in all of his life choices and as such have further amended the antiquated No Attachment rule in our Code to allow for permanent relationships if a Force Bond is proved present. As you probably know, the rule had already been waived for Master Mundi, who is a very rare male Cerean. It is our hope that Master Kenobi… kriff, Kryze, will return to his seat on the High Council once his family life has settled down."**

**So do we, Master Windu. So do we. (No matter what his name is.)**

* * *

_D3/20 BBY_

**SENATOR PADMÈ AMIDALA ENGAGED!**

**In a heart-melting display of romanticism, the Jedi Master the holonet has redubbed 'SuperAni, Our Fearless Hero', Anakin Skywalker, got down on bended knee and brandished a gleaming blue crystal ring last night in front of a curious audience of fellow Jedi and Senators at the hastily arranged Grand Ball of Peace held in celebration of the formal end of the war after long awaited peace treaties were finally signed. **

**Amidala looked stunned, and then she leapt on him, kissing him for a very long time as the crowd cheered and cheered. (And cheered some more.) **

**Many said they weren't all that surprised by their engagement, having witnessed Skywalker protecting or saving Amidala on numerous occasions. (The fall off her balcony a few days ago comes instantly to mind.)**

**It was later revealed that the ring contained a fragment of the Kyber crystal that powered his lightsabre. How adorable is that?**

* * *

**MORE SHOCKING ARRESTS MADE!**

**The barely coherent Palpatine had a moment of clarity yesterday when being questioned by authorities and he revealed the names of some of his cohorts. **

**Senators Mas Amedda of Champala and Lott Dod of the Trade Federation, as well as Kaminoan scientist, Nala Se, have all been arrested on charges of conspiracy against the Republic. Further evidence against them has since been found in the former Chancellor's computer files. **

**Count Dooku has also been heavily accused of being in league with Palpatine, but the disgraced former leader of the CIS has disappeared. **

**Will anyone be able to find the self proclaimed Sith Lord and bring him to justice? **

* * *

_D4/20 BBY_

**CLONES GRANTED THEIR FREEDOM!**

**As the Senate's first act under their new Chancellor, a bill was passed yesterday that states the following: **

**'All clones will henceforth be given the same rights as any other member of the Republic. They will be allowed to choose their occupations (and be paid appropriately), where they live, how they dress, who they love, and so on and so forth. The mature clones will also be given the choice to have their accelerated aging gene blocked for up to 40 years so they can live their lives without fear of very premature old age. And the younger ones will have theirs automatically blocked on a one month on, one month off, rotation so they can grow up like normal children. The younger clones will also be found appropriate families to adopt them.' **

**When asked how he felt about the new bill and what he thought most of the clones would choose to do, Commander Cody, highest ranked clone in the GAR, said, "I think it's about ****ing time. We all do. As for what we'll do, well, that's easy. We were bred to be soldiers, pilots, medics, and technicians; we'll just keep doing what we know. Except now I can go home to my beautiful wife at the end of every day instead of shacking up in the same room with a small army of my snoring brothers every night." **

**This statement left those in hearing distance stunned as one prevalent thought crossed pretty much everyone's minds: _Ummmmm. Did he just admit to having a wife?_**

**Yes. Yes, he did.**

**Thank the stars that the bill had already been passed, or our favourite Clone Commander would be in very big trouble right now.**

**(Those interested in adopting a clone child can apply to the Jedi Temple to be screened for suitability.)**

* * *

**SENATOR RIYO CHUCHI OF PANTORA REMOVED FROM OFFICE!**

**Under ancient Pantoran law, all female senators for the moon civilization must be chaste and unmarried to maintain their clarity of thought, as it is a presumed fact that once they find their mates, they can become irrational as the wellbeing of their mate and children becomes their entire focus. **

**After the passing of yesterday's 'Clone Freedom' bill, it was revealed by Chuchi herself that she had been secretly married to Commander Cody by the simple means of literally jumping on him after his statement and kissing him senseless. (There seems to be a lot of that going around.) **

**When asked if she would fight the law, she said, "Absolutely. I don't see any reason why I can't be both a wife and a Senator. I've done so for the last five months without anyone noticing a difference in my behaviour at work, I'm sure I can continue to do so. In the meantime, Cody and I will continue to live here on Coruscant while he works for the GAR and we're going to adopt a couple of his little brothers. All of those babies deserve to be loved."**

**Awwwwwww.**

* * *

_D5/20 BBY_

**MORE SECRET JEDI RELATIONSHIPS REVEALED!**

**As the surviving Jedi generals come home from the far scattered war, more and more are taking advantage of the amended 'no attachment' rule to reveal already existing relationships. **

**The two most significant being those of more members of the High Council. **

**Master Fisto, taking a page from Skywalker's book, got down on bended knee when Aayla Secura arrived home from her latest deployment to the Outer Rim and asked for his mate's hand in marriage. The Twi'lek Knight accepted, of course. (With another very long kiss that had her clone troops whooping loud enough to be heard for kilometres.)**

**And Master Ti came home from Kamino with a mature clone at her side, both of them carrying clone toddlers, and every remaining clone the Republic had already purchased trailing behind them, aged 1-8 (or 2-16 in physical years), with the older ones carrying the youngest. **

**The Togrutan Master's chosen mate was revealed to be the very first experimental clone made from Jango Fett's genetic template. (Whoa. Didn't even know this clone existed.) **

**Considered somewhat flawed because of a heavy stutter in his speech, he was never sent to war. Instead, the Clone Commander who calls himself Basal trained extensively with Fett and then was instrumental in the training of all of his future brothers.**

**We love him already.**

* * *

_D7/20 BBY_

**AHSOKA TANO HELD FOR RANSOM!**

**While leading a Jedi rite of passage mission with 6 younglings, the Padawan of Master Skywalker was captured by a gang of Weequay pirates led by the infamous Hondo Ohnaka when he disabled her cruiser. **

**Ohnaka demanded a hefty ransom for the return of Tano or he would sell her to the highest bidder. (A young female Togrutan Jedi would be worth a fortune in the slave trade.) Skywalker immediately set out with the 501st to rescue his Padawan, only to find her already rescued by the younglings and in the process of escaping the planet. **

**Sources say Skywalker left Hondo shaking in his boots and promising to never target a Jedi again. **

**We think Skywalker should have leveled the entire pirate den and done the galaxy a favour.**

**But that's just us.**

* * *

_D15/20 BBY_

**GENERAL GRIEVOUS DEFEATED ON SALEUCAMI!**

**After an unknown source informed recently promoted clone Commander Rex that a suspicious looking B1 battle droid had been spotted on the planet, Masters Skywalker and Kryze, Padawan Tano, and their legions of clones investigated the information. They found not just one droid, but a few armies worth of them hidden in the forests. After a long, drawn out battle that lasted for 3 days, the Jedi and Grievous finally came face to face. **

**Skywalker won using his new superpowers. **

**Grievous is now being held in the same prison facility as Palpatine in an undisclosed location. Sources say the two are located close enough to hear each other and that they have yet to stop screaming insults interspersed with horrid coughing and off topic babbling. **

**Prison guards are threatening to quit if they're not moved further apart. **

**We don't blame them one little bit.**

* * *

_D20/20 BBY_

**FORCE SENSITIVE CHILDREN RESCUED!**

**In a plea to be removed from Palpatine's vicinity, Grievous promised to tell the locations of Palpatine's hidey holes across the galaxy. **

**Teams of Jedi and clones were sent to investigate each one. Most were just the equivalent of safe houses. **

**But one, on a somehow uncharted planet called Wayland, sitting right on the border between the Mid and Outer Rims, contained a veritable treasure trove of riches and creepy artifacts found within a huge facility inside a mountain. **

**The facility also contained a dozen children of various species and ages under the care of droids. The children were already brainwashed into using Dark side powers, but Grand Master Yoda is confident that they can be rehabilitated to the Light with love and care.**

**We hope he's right.**

* * *

_D27/20 BBY_

**CELEBRATION AT THE JEDI TEMPLE!**

**The Jedi had two reasons to celebrate yesterday. The first being the wakening of Master Depa Billaba from a six month long coma caused by injuries sustained while fighting General Grievous on Haruun Kal. **

**Billaba, former Padawan of Master of the Council, Mace Windu, is expected to return to her seat on the High Council. **

**The second bit of news from our illustrious Jedi protectors comes in the form of another marriage. **

**Padawan Ahsoka Tano (16) and Commander Rex (12 or 24) were formally married in a small (read; attended by every clone and Jedi who could pack themselves in) ceremony held at the GAR base on Coruscant. The couple looked ecstatically happy as they sealed their vows with a rather steamy looking kiss that had her jumping up into his arms and wrapping her legs around his waist. **

**The crowd of clone brothers roared in approval.**

**Her Master, Anakin Skywalker, grimaced, and then forced on a smile. (It's said that he considers Ahsoka to be his little sister, so his reaction is understandable.) **

**(There are rumours that the inseparable couple were already married via either Mandalorian vows or the Togrutan mating ceremony, but based on her very recent birthday, most are choosing to ignore them as jealous slander.)**

**Billaba, attending the wedding in a hoverchair due to weak muscles, and surrounded by fellow Jedi who had blatantly paired off, was heard exclaiming, "What the kriff did I miss!?"**

**We'd love to be a fly on the wall when someone tells her.**

* * *

_D38/20 BBY_

**UNREGISTERED CLONING FACILITIES FOUND ON CENTAX-2!**

**Found deep under the surface of the non-life-sustaining moon of Coruscant, the facility contained dozens of mistreated Zillo beasts and thousands of pods containing puddles of goo that, according to captured Bivalli doctor, Sionver Boll, were failed attempts at speed growing more clone soldiers. **

**The Zillo beasts will be treated and brought back to health, and then taken to an unpopulated planet and released to live their lives in peace. **

**The most shocking discovery of the day, though, was when 10 active stasis pods were found. **

**Inside them were fully formed baby clones of Grand Master Yoda (all aged about 1 standard year), who is a very rare species and the second most powerful Jedi in the Order. Records on the pods indicate they've been in stasis since 41 BBY. The babies were woken up and taken to the Temple to be raised. It is expected that they will now grow up at a normal rate for Yoda's species, which is about three times slower than human children. **

**The question is; what was the purpose of cloning Master Yoda? And so long ago? When questioned, Palpatine just laughed and laughed and laughed. **

**So helpful.**

* * *

_D46/20 BBY_

**WEDDING ON NABOO!**

**Surrounded by their friends and family and the romantic backdrop of crystalline waterfalls, Master Anakin Skywalker and Senator Padmè Amidala were married yesterday on the galaxy wide recognized Lovers Day. (More than a little cliché but we don't care.)**

**There wasn't a dry eye in the crowd as the couple exchanged personal vows sealed with one of the most tender, loving kisses we've ever seen. And when they parted marginally to smile into each other's eyes, Skywalker swept her up into his arms and literally flew away with her. **

**There was a lot of hand flapping and near swooning from the attendees, that's for sure. Even the Queen was dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief before she ruined her makeup. **

* * *

_D54/20 BBY_

**DUCHESS OF MANDALORE NEARLY MURDERED!**

**In a shocking turn of events that (almost) no one saw coming, an old enemy of Jedi Master Kryze resurfaced, taking control of Mandalore with the aid of Death Watch while the Duchess and her consort were off planet, attending the wedding festivities of his former Padawan. **

**They returned to find thousands dead and Darth Maul sitting on the throne, holding the Darksabre (an ancient Mandalorian lightsabre usually held by the ruler of the traditional warrior people, called the Mand'alor), and with his massive brother, Savage Opress, standing at his side. **

**When Master Kryze confronted the cyborg Dathomirian Zabrak, Maul grabbed the Duchess with the Force and proceeded to strangle her while holding the Darksabre on her threateningly until Master Kryze relented and put down his own lightsabre and knelt in obeyance. **

**Maul was suddenly killed by a blaster shot to the forehead by a member of Death Watch as he gloated, who turned out to be Bo-Katan Kryze, the Duchess' supposedly estranged younger sister. **

**Enraged, Opress charged at Bo-Katan, but Master Kryze stepped in between, and a fierce battle ensued between the Jedi Master and the Sith Apprentice with Kryze eventually prevailing, and beheading the huge Zabrak. **

**The Duchess, Master Kryze, and Bo-Katan retook Sundari from Maul's goons and the members of Death Watch that didn't immediately fall in with the younger Kryze, who was brandishing the Darksabre, since she had won it. The people of Mandalore bowed and cheered Bo-Katan, assuming her to be the new Mand'alor. **

**It turns out that after fourteen years of ruling her recalcitrant people, while wrangling them into something that resembled pacifists, Duchess Satine was ready for a change. **

**In a public ceremony, she cheerfully turned over the ruling of her people to Bo-Katan, and said, "Have fun. I'm going to raise a family in peace with my husband somewhere a bit less violent."**

**We can only speculate as to where that could be.**

* * *

_D60/20 BBY_

**JEDI MASTER KRYZE RETURNS TO HIGH COUNCIL SEAT!**

**The Jedi Master and his wife have permanently moved to Coruscant, where she will be representing Mandalore in the Senate and he returns to a more active roll in the Jedi's efforts at returning the galaxy to peace and prosperity. **

**After having spent much of the last 3 months at his Duchess' side on Mandalore, Kryze was overheard saying that he's grateful for the holiday, but was itching to get back to the work that he loves. And that he was missing spending nearly every day with his Padawans. **

**The Master wasn't back on Coruscant for more than a day before the High Council offered him his seat back, still having two spots open from deaths incurred during the war. Kryze accepted, but only if they offered the remaining spot to Skywalker. **

**They did, and Skywalker accepted, making the 21 year old the youngest member of the Council in centuries. (SuperAni's early promotion streak continues.) **

**Kryze's Jedi family and their spouses were seen at an upper level restaurant later that night, celebrating. **

**Padawan Tano was overheard asking Kryze if he was going to keep the new last name, since she still had a hard time remembering not to call him Kenobi and the Duchess was no longer a Duchess, nor the head of her clan. **

**Looking at his wife with soft eyes, Kryze answered, "Satine will always be my Duchess, so I have no reason to change my name back. And besides, 'Kryze' is a much harder name for my enemies to say in a derogatory way."**

**The table was heard laughing uproariously for many minutes as the younger members said, "Ken. O. Bi," in imitations of various voices. **

* * *

_D72/20 BBY_

**DOOKU FOUND AND DEFEATED!**

**After going undercover for months and working with the redeemed Dark assassin, Dathomirian Asajj Ventress, Jedi Master Quinlan Vos finally located the missing Sith Lord on Utapau. **

**Masters Skywalker, Kryze, Windu, and Yoda all arrived as quietly as possible and snuck up on Dooku, where he was holed up deep underground. As expected, a rather epic battle ensued, but against six of the best Jedi in the Galaxy, Dooku really didn't stand a chance. **

**The public reports say that Dooku eventually attempted to use Sith Lightning against Skywalker, but our SuperAni simply absorbed and contained it, turning it into a ball of power between his hands and then throwing it right back at Dooku. **

**The Sith Lord was felled by his own Lightning. **

**Skywalker removed Dooku's connection to the Force while he was unconscious and they loaded him up on their ship. Dooku is now in the same cell that Grievous used to occupy and the prison guards are once again threatening to quit as the two old and former Sith Lords yell at each other all day and all night. **

**They'll give it up eventually, though, right?**

**As for Vos and Ventress, they became the latest in a long line of Jedi who have gotten hitched, and Vos has said that his days as the Order's master spy are over. **

* * *

_D99/20 BBY_

**SKYWALKER AND PADAWAN EMBARK ON EXTENDED MISSION TO UNKNOWN REGIONS!**

**With only a vague idea of where they're going, the intrepid duo, along with Masters Fisto, Secura, Koon, the Voses, and a few legions worth of clones, including Commanders Wolffe, Bly, Appo, and Rex (of course), head for parts uncharted to find the alleged Sith Colony that Skywalker swears is out there and will be a threat to the Republic in the future if left unchecked. **

**They're not expected to return until the next year at the earliest, when their supplies will run out. The recently wedded Senator Skywalker is remaining on Coruscant, stating that she just can't leave her job for that long, but with the best long range communications tech possible, she has faith that her marriage will survive the long separation.**

**We wish them every possible bit of luck and a safe journey. **

**May the Force be with you, SuperAni.**

* * *

_D189/20 BBY_

**MASTER YODA TAKES AN EXTENDED MEDITATIVE LEAVE!**

**Claiming to seek further knowledge of the Force, the ancient Grand Master of the Order flew off for parts unknown. **

**Good luck? **

* * *

_D195/20 BBY_

**BOMBING AT THE JEDI TEMPLE!**

**Last night, a diehard loyalist of the now disbanded Confederacy of Independent Systems attempted to bomb the Jedi Temple, believing it was the Jedi's fault that the CIS was reabsorbed back into the Republic. **

**Rackham Sear, a former Captain of the CIS, was foiled in his plans by Master Depa Billaba and a youngling called Caleb Dume. Sear committed suicide rather than be caught, jumping off the roof of the Temple. **

**Thanks to our heroes of the day, damage to the Temple was minimal and no lives (other than Sear's) were lost. **

**Dume (13), a very recent early graduate of the Initiate Trials, was offered a position as Padawan to Master Billaba. **

**We expect to see great things from this young man.**

* * *

_D217/20 BBY_

**A NEW KRYZE IS BORN!**

**Senator Satine Kryze safely delivered a baby girl yesterday after a relatively short 8 hours of labour, much to the relief of her very stressed looking husband. **

**Destina Kryze, copper haired like her father, is the first known Mandalorian Jedi born in centuries. Based on who her parents are, we can only assume the girl will become either Chancellor or Master of the Jedi Order one day. **

* * *

_D231/20 BBY_

**MASTER YODA RETURNS!**

**The Grand Master landed on Coruscant last night with zero fanfare, since he didn't tell anyone he was coming back. When Masters Windu and Kryze asked their mentor if he'd been successful, the answer was yes. **

**Master Kryze wouldn't elaborate any further on Yoda's pilgrimage except to say that the High Council must discuss whether or not to teach the new knowledge that Master Yoda acquired.**

**(Now we're REALLY curious.)**

* * *

_D307/20 BBY_

**SENATOR SKYWALKER PREGNANT!**

**Padmè Amidala Skywalker was seen to have a very obvious baby bump when a sudden gust of wind plastered her robes to her form while walking out of the Senate Building. When asked, she admitted that she found out only a few weeks after her husband left on his extended mission and that she hasn't told him yet and has no plans to do so until he's completed his self appointed task. **

**We think she's very noble, but maybe just a little bit stupid. **

**In any case, we can't wait to see his face when he gets home. (Hopefully before the child is born.)**

* * *

_D358/20 BBY_

**RIYO CHUCHI REINSTATED AS SENATOR OF PANTORA!**

**Nearly a year after losing her position for being secretly married, the young senator finally won the appeal, and removed the antiquated and sexist law from the Pantoran rules of conduct. **

**She then revealed that she was two months pregnant.**

**Bravo, Chuchi. Bravo.**

* * *

_D365/20 BBY_

**SUPERANI RETURNS TRIUMPHANT!**

**Exactly one year to the day that Skywalker defeated Palpatine, he finally comes home after completing his mission to remove all Sith from the galaxy. **

**He didn't go into details in his report, but he did say that most were left alive, but without their connection to the Force. Some more clones were also found, but the public report says nothing more about them other than that they had been gross abominations and had been put down for their own good. **

**Senator Skywalker was immediately swept up into a passionate kiss as soon as he disembarked, but that didn't last long as he comically noticed her 'expanded' state. **

**With wide eyes, he put her back down and put a hand on her stomach as she nodded with tears streaming from her eyes. He whooped and picked her up again, returning to the kissing, much to the amusement of those gathered around them. After a minute or two (or five) the Skywalkers disappeared as he teleported them away, presumably for a more private celebration. **

**Master Kryze was heard laughing and stating, "Well, that's Anakin for you, always so impatient."**

* * *

_D3/_ _19 BBY_

**TWINS!**

**After an exhausting two full days of labour, Senator Padmè Skywalker delivered a healthy set of twins, but she was left with complications that would make any further pregnancies dangerous to her health. Master Skywalker didn't seem to care about that, though, and was just relieved that his wife had survived the grueling process.**

**Luke and Leia Skywalker were the recipients of a mountain of presents from family, friends, and fans alike. Looking at the pile, Anakin joked that they'd never have to buy clothes or toys for their children, because the galaxy had already supplied them with everything they could possible need. **

**"In fact," he added as he settled on the medbed beside his exhausted looking but beaming and beautiful wife, while holding a child in each arm, "the galaxy and the Force has given me everything I'll ever need. I have my heart and soul at my side, my children in my arms, and my Master and Padawan to share all of our lives with. I am truly blessed."**

**Awwwwwwwww.**

**SuperAni, you will forever own the hearts of the galaxy with words like that.**

* * *

_D268/19 BBY_

**FIRST CLONE HYBRID BORN!**

**The first known baby fathered by a clone made its way into the world yesterday, in what we expect to be an influx of clone children now that the clones are considered normal citizens. **

**Senator Riyo Chuchi delivered a healthy, blue skinned and brown haired baby boy yesterday, to the delight of just promoted Admiral Cody Chuchi. (He's having a very good week.) The pair named their son Rian after her grandfather. **

**Along with their 2 adopted sons (Rony and Ciyo, both 3), Senator Chuchi says they intend to have at least one more child, because Cody really wants a little girl too.**

**We hope they get their wish.**

* * *

_D51/18 BBY_

**ANOTHER GIRL FOR MASTER KRYZE!**

**Yesterday, Senator Satine Kryze was relieved to finally birth her two weeks late daughter. The proud papa was seen smiling like a loon as he cuddled his new daughter, that Satine very determinedly named Atina. (Which basically means 'stubborn' in Mando'a.) **

**She also stated quite loudly for the entire hospital to hear that she was done with the bearing of children, so I guess we can assume that Master Kryze is just going to have to be satisfied with his 3 adopted clone sons (Ticket 17, Connor 16, & Reggie 15) if he was wanting a male heir. **

**(We asked later. He said he was, "More than satisfied with the family the Force had given him and loves them all." **

**The teenage boys beamed at this.)**

* * *

_D202/17 BBY_

**ANOTHER BOY FOR THE CHUCHIS!**

**Riol Chuchi was born yesterday to happy parents, bouncing siblings, and much congratulations and presents. He looks exactly like his older brother, which is going to be fun when they're old enough to pass as the same age. **

**We guess the Chuchis will just have to keep trying if they want a girl…**

* * *

_D348/16 BBY_

** ANOTHER CLONE HYBRID IS BORN! **

**Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano (20), delivered her first child yesterday. **

**The proud General Rex Tano named his hybrid Togrutan/Human daughter Arexa, much to the amusement of their vast family of Jedi and clone brothers. **

**We think the name is adorable. And the baby that looks like a perfect blend of her parents even more so. **

**We hope they make more.**

* * *

_D50/15 BBY_

**THE DUCHESS RETURNS TO MANDALORE!**

**For the first time in years, the abdicated Duchess returned to the planet she ruled for so long and made such drastic changes to, to attend the wedding of her sister, Mand'alor Bo-Katan Kryze, to leader of the Protectors, Fenn Rau. **

**Accompanied by her now substantial family, including their extended Jedi family members, the Skywalkers and the Tanos, Senator Kryze returned to a much changed world. (Mandalorians were wearing their armour again as their daily attire and the word 'pacifist' is practically a derogatory expletive.) **

**Despite this, the former Duchess and her family were greeted warmly by all, including some of her extended family members, the Wrens. **

**Countess Ursa Wren, also former Death Watch, is part of the Mand'alor's Council of Advisors, and is married to Alrich Wren (formerly Kryze), a prestigious artist whose paintings are much sought after throughout the galaxy. Their daughter, Sabine (5), is said to also have artistic talent, but for now, proudly struts around in her outrageously painted miniature armour. **

**We can't wait to see how that one grows up.**

* * *

_D130/15 BBY_

**NEW JEDI YOUNGLING FOUND!**

**On an inspection tour of all of the known Jedi Temples, Masters Skywalker and Kryze eventually ended up at the little known planet of Lothal in the Outer Rim. So unknown, in fact, that it was untouched by the war. But apparently somebody built a Jedi Temple there centuries ago, so there they went. **

**The Temple wasn't the highlight of the trip, though. It was the dark blue haired and brilliant blue eyed orphan boy they brought back with them. **

**The boy was found by Skywalker, picking though garbage bins in Capital City and looking more than half starved. Taking pity on the boy, Skywalker picked him up to take him back to their ship to feed him, and was attacked by a very protective white lothcat for his trouble. **

**It seems the boy can summon animals at will; a rare Jedi ability. The boy also demonstrated a strong sense of precognition, warning Skywalker of a falling crate before it actually fell. And his midi-chlorian count is nearly as high as Master Yoda's, making his potential in the Force very great indeed. **

**The mostly human child (1/8th Angel, believe it or not, according his blood test), says he's four years old, is called Ezra Bridger, and that his parents were somehow killed while flying to the nearby planet of Garel for supplies. (Pirates? Hyperdrive failure?) He'd been left with someone called Uncle Tseebo and had felt them die, which had freaked him out so badly that he'd run away from Tseebo, eventually getting lost in the city. **

**While Skywalker took care of the boy, Kryze went looking for a Tseebo with the local authorities and found out that there was a male Rodian by that name who had met an unfortunate end at the hands of a band of thugs. (Presumably while looking for Ezra.)**

**It is now assumed that the child is the son of two Force users, since the Jedi Temple has records of an Ephraim Bridger who left the Order shortly before the war, who had the same colouring as Ezra, but was most definitely 100% human.**

**Which means the mother had to be a quarter Angel. The rare species are known to be very strong in the Force as well, but have always refused to join the Order, preferring to keep to themselves, much like the Nightsisters of Dathomir.**

**Ephraim Bridger had been a strong Force Seer, and had left the Order because he said dark times were coming for the Jedi and he wanted no part of it. **

**He had been right. **

**One has to wonder how things would have been different if the High Council had listened to him. **

**Needless to say, the Jedi Temple on Coruscant now has one more youngling.**

**And a white lothcat called Ghost.**

* * *

_D267/15 BBY_

**SUCCESS!**

**The Senator of Pantora, Riyo Chuchi, finally delivered the girl they'd been hoping for. Already adorable with tan skin, gold eyes, and purple hair, we just know that Cyoa Chuchi is going to steal hearts when she grows up.**

**Admiral Chuchi says they're done now; their house is chaotic enough.**

**(We know the by-the-books soldier loves it, though. You could see it in the twinkle in his eyes despite the stern expression he shot his galloping sons as they raced around the hospital.)**

* * *

_D98/13 BBY _

**ANOTHER CHILD FOR THE TANOS!**

**This time, Jedi Knight Tano delivered a boy, that she immediately named Kexso (King in Togruti). **

**General Rex was literally tickled pink, obviously not knowing she was going to do so. (Rex is Mando'a for King, in case you didn't know.) He fell to his knees beside her medbed and grasped her free hand (the other was holding their new son to her breast), kissing her knuckles. His heart was in his eyes as he said, "Thank you, Soka. For everything."**

**To which she replied, stroking her hand over his short blond hair, "I'd do it all again for you, Rexi, if you wanted me to. But if you have even half a heart, maybe we're done with making younglings now?"**

**Everyone in the room laughed as he nodded frantically. (He nearly fainted at least a dozen times during her labour, which was an improvement over her first delivery, where he actually did faint from forgetting to breathe.)**

* * *

_D3/10 BBY_

**10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF PEACE, CELEBRATED WITH ANOTHER BALL!**

**Pretty much everyone who had anything to do with the war was invited, and they showed up from all corners of the galaxy. **

**Along with the expected Jedi, senators, clones, and monarchs, we saw King Lee-Char and Captain Gial Ackbar of Mon Cala, General Cham Syndulla and his family and friends from Ryloth, a couple of Lurmen who we had no idea of the identities of until Jedi Master Tano greeted them as Tee Watt Kaa and Wag Too, Mand'alor Kryze and her Consort and extended family members (in armour, of course), Governor Roshti of Kiros and his family, and even a Wookiee called Chewbacca and his family (who the Jedi younglings absolutely adored). **

**The ballroom and surrounding courtyards and gardens of the Jedi Temple were packed, to put it bluntly.**

**During the course of the evening, we saw new friendships being made and even a few new romances brewing as strangers met for the first time. People even danced, despite some clearly not being very good at it (everyone under the age of 12). Some of our more legendary couples (The Skywalkers, the Tanos, and the Kryzes), decked out in finery, also took to the floor, inspiring warm smiles from all. **

**Jedi Knight, Caleb Dume (23), looking as dashing as possible in his signature dark green tunics, attracted the attention of the Twi'lek heiress, Hera Syndulla (19), who is a recent graduate of the GAR fighter pilot program. The two were seen talking animatedly and dancing closely together for basically the entire evening, inspiring snarling looks from her father, and amused ones from her mother. **

**Another Twi'lek who appeared to have found love at first sight is a teal coloured girl called Numa (17) who is best friends with Hera. The girl was seen hugging Lieutenant Boil with a happy squeal, who then led her around the entire party, introducing her to every one of his unmated brothers. (Boil is already married.) When they came to the Assistant Director of the Senate Bureau of Intelligence, a handsome young clone called Canny, who chose to take advantage of the age halting shots offered, Numa came to a stop and refused to be pulled away. **

**Canny looked like he'd been handed the stars. **

**And then there was the very rich and handsome Senator Lux Bonteri (29), who has remained steadfastly unattached despite many offers, finally found himself bitten by the love bug as well. **

**Looking like he was mesmerized, he walked up to the Governor of Kiros and begged an introduction to his eldest daughter (a russet skinned young Togruta that bore a passing resemblance to Master Tano). We don't know her name yet, but you can bet we will soon enough, if the way he looked at her was any indication. **

**The ball was a huge success, and the High Council promised to hold another one every ten years for the foreseeable future to help people remember the dreadful war and how much it cost the galaxy. **

**(Last minute edit: The Togruta girl's name is Ashti and she's 20.)**

* * *

_D11/9 BBY_

**NEW MASTER OF THE HIGH COUNCIL!**

**After Master Mace Windu passed 2 days ago from a sudden heart attack at the age of 63, the High Council took a day to mourn, and then elected a new leader. The vote was close between Master Kryze and Master Koon, but Master Obi-Wan Kryze is now the new Master of the Jedi High Council. **

**Apparently Master Kryze was surprised that so many had voted for him. **

**Silly man.**

**We believe he's perfect for the job and that the Order will flourish under the wise Jedi's guidance.**

* * *

_D99/6 BBY_

**MASTER YODA TAKES A NEW PADAWAN!**

**Yesterday, on the newly appointed Padawan Day, chosen in honour of the day that Master Kryze met his own Master for the first time, Grand Master Yoda was paired with a Padawan from this year's crop of Initiates for the first time since he selected a promising looking boy called Dooku some 8 decades ago. (Oops.)**

**This year's lucky Initiate is none other than Destina Kryze of the copper hair and aqua blue eyes, more or less bringing the circle of Masters and Padawans around again. (Yoda trained Dooku, who trained Qui-Gon Jinn, who trained Obi-Wan Kenobi Kryze.) **

**We wish her luck with the cheeky old Troll. (Sorry, I meant… No never mind; Troll is definitely more accurate than his real species name.)**

* * *

_D2/5 BBY_

**NEW CHANCELLOR ELECTED!**

**Following his third and final five year term in office, Bail Organa announced his retirement from politics. Yesterday, the Senate voted in a new Chancellor. This year's candidates included Mon Mothma of Chandrila, Gall Trayvis of Lothal, and Lady Selena Harbright of Salliche. **

**The winner of the vote was Mothma after she gave an impressive speech about finally abolishing slavery from Republic affiliated planets. **

**(We wish her luck with that one.)**

**Senator Skywalker was once again asked to run, but she continues to decline, stating that she wants to have time to be with her family. **

**Understandable, we suppose.**

* * *

_D99/5 BBY_

**FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF PADAWAN DAY!**

**It was a much anticipated and heavily attended demonstration of the Initiates yesterday. **

**Because in this year's crop of potential Padawans, we have the Skywalker twins and the Bridger boy (who still comes with a snarky lothcat). **

**As expected, all three performed flawlessly and showed great potential. It's a good thing the Jedi don't just duke it out for the right to teach a Padawan or there would undoubtedly be pandemonium among the Masters. Instead, they now let the Force choose, blindfolding the younglings and having them pick the Force signature that feels right to them, so that a Force Bond can develop. (I know, that sounds like a bunch of bantha droppings, but it makes sense to them, so just go with it.)**

**Luke Skywalker picked Master Kryze, to no one's surprise. Leia Skywalker picked Master Tano, also to no one's surprise. And Ezra Bridger picked the Jedi Knight, Caleb Dume, to everyone's surprise. **

**Why? Because Dume had been away from the Temple for the last five years, checking up on the galaxy with his wife, Hera Syndulla-Dume, for the GAR and the High Council, looking for trouble spots in their undercover freighter. And before that, Bridger and Dume had barely interacted aside from a few classes that Dume had taught on Form 3. **

**Dume and Syndulla just happened to be coming home to make their reports and resupply when he wandered into the Temple and the Padawan Day ceremony. **

**Their pairing was truly a gift from the Force. Or so they say. **

**Ezra was said to be very excited about the prospect of exploring the galaxy. **

**Syndulla was not pleased that he came with a lothcat.**

* * *

_D99/4 BBY_

**PADAWAN DAY TIME AGAIN!**

**This year's Padawan of note was Atina Kryze. (Yes, the stubborn one, unlike her nearly identical older sister, who everyone says has the temperament of a saint.) **

**Fortunately the Force chose to pair her with one of the most happy-go-lucky and patient Jedi we've ever encountered; one Master Kit Fisto. **

* * *

_D99/2 BBY_

**SKYWALKER AND TANO TRADITION CONTINUES!**

**At yesterday's Padawan Day, Master Ahsoka Tano's eldest child, Arexa, choose her mother's former Master, Anakin Skywalker. For those who remember the intrepid duo's younger days, they say it's like deju vu to see the 14 year old Togruta hybrid at Skywalker's side. (The 39 year old Master Jedi has aged very well, which his adoring fangirls can attest to.)**

* * *

_D99/1 ABY_

**LAST OF THE FEARLESS TRIO'S CHILDREN FINDS A MASTER!**

**Yes, it was Padawan Day again yesterday. **

**This time, it was Kexso Tano's turn to pick a Master whilst blindfolded. The young man with the shaggy brown hair, orange and white skin, and beautiful sky blue eyes wandered around for a long time, studying each potential Master carefully, before finally settling in front of Master Shaak Ti, who has yet to train a Padawan. **

**A very proud Master Tano said her fellow Togrutan High Council member beamed like a sun at finally being chosen. **

* * *

_D364/1 BBY_

**A NEW GENERATION OF JEDI BEGINS!**

**Yesterday, we welcomed into the world one Jacen Syndulla-Dume. The little Twi'lek hybrid boy comes with vibrant green hair and his father's beautiful teal eyes and pale skin tone. With explorers for parents, we expect the boy is going to see more of the galaxy than most ever do. **

* * *

_D3/0 ABY_

**PEACE BALL DOES IT AGAIN!**

**At the second ball held in remembrance of the galactic Clone Wars, love at first sight strikes again. **

**This time, it caught the quickly-rising-in-fame artist, Sabine Wren (related to Mand'alor Kryze), and just turned 19 and graduate of his Jedi Trials, Knight Ezra Bridger. Following in his former Master's footsteps, Bridger kept Wren dancing and laughing all night, and they were seen drinking caf together on the steps of the Temple as the sun rose over the city, still talking, and sitting with their shoulders touching. **

**Also seen dancing together all night was Jedi Knight Destina Kryze (20) and Ciyo Chuchi. At only 22, the clone is already a Captain in the GAR and definitely taking after his adopted father, Grand Admiral Cody Chuchi.**

**Not to be outdone by her older sister, Padawan Atina Kryze was seen dancing with a new partner for every single dance, much to her father's dismay and her Master's amusement. It's going to take someone incredibly strong willed to tame that one, we think.**

* * *

_D3/0 ABY_

**WE STAND CORRECTED.**

**Atina Kryze has firmly stated that she will never be tamed.**

**Alrighty then. **

* * *

_D23/0 ABY_

**LOVE FOR THE TWINS!**

**Deciding to go on a celebratory holiday after passing their Jedi Trials, the young Jedi Knights, Luke and Leia Skywalker chose to visit their father's home planet of Tatooine for the first time. **

**(The Hutt controlled, sand covered, blazing hot, den of iniquity is just the place to have a good vacation, don't you think?)**

**After visiting their uncle-in-law for a few days, and then wandering around Mos Espa for a while and taking in a pod race, they then flew towards Mos Eisley, just for laughs. But unbeknownst to them, a young Black Sun bounty hunter had spotted them in Mos Espa and recognized them as being Jedi; something the elusive criminal syndicate still loves to capture and torture and hold for ransom whenever they get the chance. **

**The bounty hunter shot down their T-6 shuttle just outside of Mos Eisley.**

**Fortunately, the twins weren't hurt. But their ride off planet was wrecked, so they gathered up what supplies they could and hotfooted it to the city before the bounty hunter could shoot them down from above. They took refuge in a cantina, where they spotted a familiar face. **

**The huge Wookiee known as Chewbacca only seemed puzzled for a moment as the twins immediately dashed over to him, having remembered him from the ball he'd attended ten years before. The Wookiee rumbled out a greeting and introduced them to his business partner, a smuggler known as Han Solo. **

**The twins told them about their predicament and Chewbacca offered to give them a ride back to Coruscant in his freighter. Solo grumbled about not running a passenger ship, so the twins offered to pay him. A deal was quickly reached and the quartet set off for a barely spaceworthy Corellian made freighter. **

**They didn't notice they were being followed again. Leia was too busy pretending she wasn't checking out the handsome smuggler. And Luke was happily gawking at everything he saw as he chatted with Chewbacca. (The Force was apparently short on warnings that day.)**

**But this time, it was by bounty hunters sent after Solo by Jabba the Hutt for unpaid debts. **

**And the Black Sun bounty hunter was still on their trail, too, not ready to give up yet.**

**As the quartet entered the Falcon's landing bay, Jabba's bounty hunters made their move, stunning everyone from behind. Now only a few steps away, the Black Sun bounty hunter shot Jabba's hunters, angry that they'd interfered with her prey. **

**As people ran to investigate the shots, and more of Jabba's goons arrived on the scene, the Black Sun hunter locked the door to the landing bay and looked down at the four unconscious bodies with a sneer. (Although she may have taken a second to think that the young male Jedi was awfully cute.) **

**With only one recourse available to her, the Black Sun bounty hunter dragged the bodies of all 4 stunned people onto the ramp of the Millennium Falcon, though she was seriously tempted to leave the Wookiee behind, cursing his heavy hide. She let the hydraulic ramp do the heavy lifting for her as it closed, then she put binders on all of them and took their weapons. **

**Now jogging, she ran to where she hoped she'd find the cockpit, cursing the stupid layout of the freighter as she took a wrong turn or two before finding it. She cursed further when she saw the ship was designed to be flown by two people, but figured she'd just have to make do. **

**By some miracle and a lot of sheer determination, she got the recalcitrant old wreck of a ship into the air just in time to hear the sound of lightsabres igniting. (The hunter didn't know that Jedi could undo normal binders with their minds.)**

**She spun around and saw the twins glaring at her from behind the blue glow of their sabres. **

**"Who are you and what are you doing with us?" Luke asked the masked hunter.**

**She moved to pull her blaster and had it pulled from her hand as the Falcon dipped dangerously low to the ground, since she wasn't exactly flying it anymore.**

**Leia, seeing their impending doom, lunged for the co-pilot controls and landed the ship close to where their shuttle had crashed. **

**Meanwhile, the bounty hunter had leapt out of her chair and thrown herself at Luke, hoping that he wouldn't skewer her with his lightsabre in the process. They grappled around on the floor for control of the lightsabre, which Luke had automatically turned off as she leapt at him. **

**Eventually, Luke ended up on top of the hunter and pinned her down, then he pushed her helmet off her head, wanting to see who exactly it was he was fighting. **

**It was a girl. Brilliant red hair. Emerald green eyes. Beautiful features. And 17 years old, at most. **

**Luke stared at the girl in awe as he felt a Force bond snap into place, eyes widening as he read her signature and discovered that she was also very strong with the Force, but clearly untrained. **

**"Hi," he mumbled dumbly.**

**She blinked once, feeling the strange connection too, before remembering herself. She headbutted him and shoved him off, grabbing his lightsabre in the process. **

**Leia turned around in time to see this, and pulled the lightsabre out of her hands with the Force, saying, "I don't think so, bitch." Then Leia held the other girl still while Luke scrambled off the floor and quickly manacled her hands together behind her back with the same binders that had been on him. **

**"You're coming with us to Coruscant," he said.**

**The girl growled. **

**"What's your name?"**

**She glared.**

**Luke fell in love. **

**"You might as well tell me, because we're going to be together for a very long time," he said confidently.**

**She growled some more, but finally muttered, "Mara Jade."**

**As he guided her into a chair, he said, "See, that wasn't so hard. We're going to get along great."**

**Mara Jade almost bit off his nose.**

**Luke just smiled wider.**

**Seeing that her brother was beyond hope, but at least sort of in control of the situation, Leia left the cockpit, slapping his lightsabre into his chest on the way by. She went back to where the smuggler and Chewbacca were still lying on the closed ramp and undid their binders with a wave of her fingers before rolling them over onto their backs. **

**Solo moaned as he somehow ended up in her lap. He blinked his eyes open and they got lost staring into each other's eyes for who knew how long, another Force bond taking shape in her soul. Brushing his shaggy brown hair off his forehead with a finger, she smiled stupidly at him. "You want to come home with me?" she asked suddenly.**

**Solo, never one to turn down a pretty girl, could only say, "Uhhhhhhhhhh, sure?"**

**And that's how the Skywalker twins found their mates. **

**I don't know about you, but if that isn't the hand of Fate (or the Force), then I don't know what is.**

**Oh, and you should have seen Anakin Skywalker's face when his precious children came home from their holiday with a stubborn bounty hunter with Force potential and a no good smuggler 13 years older than his daughter. **

**(And a dying spaceship that comes with a walking carpet… pardon me… Wookiee, but who's counting?)**

* * *

_D6/1 ABY_

**ANOTHER BOY FOR MASTER DUME!**

**Yesterday, Hera Syndulla-Dume delivered another hybrid son. Named Kanan in honour of a male Kalleran who saved Caleb's life during his travels, the boy looks more like his father than his mother, with the same lovely auburn hair and human features. His only apparent concession to his mother's Twi'lek genes appears to be the palest possible green tint to his skin. **

**Unfortunately, as sometimes happens with hybrids, which can be born with defects, the baby is blind. His eyes are pure white, with no iris or pupil. **

**The good news is that the baby already seems to be tapping into his Force Sight out of instinct, his unseeing gaze tracking people as they move.**

**Master Dume says his son is going to be very special indeed, and will notice things others will not. **

**We congratulate him on seeing the positive. (Pun possibly intended.)**

* * *

_D32/4 ABY_

**MORE JEDI TWINS!**

**This time, the identical twin girls belong to Master Caleb Dume and his famous stunt pilot of a wife, Hera Syndulla-Dume. And much to her delight, the girls take after their mother almost exclusively, with lekku and everything, with the exception of their teal eyes, which come from their father. (Hers are emerald.) **

**It's a good thing they have two older brothers to watch out for them, because boys are going to be trailing after these two like panting mookas when they grow up, based on how beautiful their mother is.**

* * *

_D198/4 ABY_

**GRAND MASTER YODA PASSES AWAY.**

**It is with solemn hearts that we announce that the beloved ancient Jedi Master passed away at the age of 900. **

**The loss of Master Yoda marks the fourth death of a High Council member in the last half decade due to peaceful old age, having already lost Masters Saesee Tiin (124), Plo Koon (88), and Ki-Adi-Mundi (92). **

**None were as mourned, though, as much as Master Yoda was. Every single Jedi the Grand Master had taught showed up for his funeral (which was literally all of them in some form or another), coming from every corner of the galaxy in the biggest gathering of Jedi to Coruscant in recorded history.**

**Even Jedi who had given up the Order to raise families before relationships were allowed showed up, bringing more young people with them to the Temple, who were then inspired to stay and learn the Jedi ways, thanks to the new open age policy put into play after the Jedi lost nearly half of their members during the Clone Wars.**

**The title of Grand Master, by tradition, falls to the next oldest living Jedi, Master Kit Fisto. **

**The long-lived Nautolan is currently 272 galactic standard years and still in the prime of his life. He's also admitted that the Twi'lek Jedi, Aayla Secura, is his second mate, having already outlived the first one, who was a human female. When asked if he'll take another mate after Secura passes on, Fisto shook his head, stating, "The Force blessed me twice with bonded mates; I would never presume to think it would do so a third time." Looking down at Secura, he added, "The question is redundant anyway, because I might just follow this one into the Force, when she goes, because I don't know if I can live without her." **

**Master Secura visibly teared up as she kissed her mate for his words. **

**So did we.**

**The pair have been officially married for quite awhile now, but because their physiology is just a little too different, they are unable to have children. They did adopt 3 young clones, though, back in the day, who are all grown up now and pairing off. **

**It is possible that Fisto isn't the oldest living Jedi, but we may never know for sure, because he did have an older sister, who was a Padawan, but she went missing with her Master and their entire ship of explorers in the unknown regions in 254 BBY. He feels like she's still out there somewhere, and hopes that someone will find her one day. **

* * *

_D105/5 ABY_

**A NEW GENERATION OF SKYWALKERS!**

**Ben-Wan Skywalker Solo was born yesterday to the daughter of our beloved SuperAni and her husband, Han Solo. The boy is surprisingly black haired, but he does have his mother's eyes. Fortunately, Solo didn't seemed surprised at the hair colour, saying his father's hair was black. **

**The Jedi Knight and her husband, who had been travelling the galaxy in his piece-of-junk ship that comes with a Wookiee attached, seeking out adventures and usually finding trouble instead, have finally moved back to Coruscant to raise their son in relative peace and safety, much to her father's relief. (Chewbacca took the Millennium Falcon back to Kashyyyk for now, so that Han doesn't get any wild ideas.) Leia Skywalker says they can go a-wandering again when their son is old enough to live at the Temple full-time like all of the Jedi Younglings do. **

**She also says they don't plan on having any more children, because the pregnancy was very hard on her and she almost lost little Ben 4 times. **

**Probably a wise choice. **

**On a happier note, Master Obi-Wan Kryze was quite amused by the name they chose for their son and stated that he would be very surprised indeed if 'Ben-Wan' didn't end up as his next and last Padawan just so that people can tease them about their names.**

**Should we take that bet?**

* * *

_D195/5 ABY_

**FIRST CHILD BORN TO THE WREN-BRIDGERS!**

**The artist and the Jedi Knight eagerly welcomed their first child into the galaxy last night. The boy came out with brown hair and Ezra Bridger's distinctive sapphire blue eyes. **

**Sabine named him Calum in honour of Ezra's former Master, who was there and very touched by the gesture. She said she never would have fallen in love with Ezra if Caleb Dume hadn't taught him how to be such a kind and caring person who always puts the needs of the galaxy before his own. **

**Awwwwwww.**

**And we're calling it now; Fifty credits says Jedi Caleb Dume is going to be Calum's Master.**

* * *

_D256/5 ABY_

**A GRANDCHILD FOR OBI-WAN!**

**Jedi Master Destina Kyrze-Chuchi produced her first child yesterday afternoon. The baby girl was named Kenobina Kryze-Chuchi, in honour of her grandfather's almost forgotten original last name. **

**While Master Kryze was flattered, he stated, "There's no way I'm calling my granddaughter that. I henceforth rename her just 'Bina.'"**

**We agree.**

* * *

_D337/5 ABY_

**ANOTHER SET OF SKYWALKER TWINS!**

**Continuing the trend of children born this year to our favourite Jedi, Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker are now the proud parents of a boy and a girl. Named Padmer and Anika in honour of his rather famous parents, the children both have his blond hair and her emerald eyes. **

**Anakin and Padmè were seen cuddling their new grandchildren and looking absolutely floored by the name choices. (Apparently it was a surprise.)**

* * *

_D2/8 ABY_

**A GIRL FOR THE WREN-BRIDGERS!**

**After delivering their second child, who is blue haired, amber eyed, and named Mira after Master Wren-Bridger's deceased mother, Sabine smiled with happiness and exhaustion, and told Ezra that if he wanted any more children, he could ****ing well carry them himself. Ezra shook his head with eyes nearly popping out as he said, "No, two's enough. Thank you, cyar'ika." **

**Wise man. **

**(Considering that a Kaminoan scientist just figured out how to make that possible.) **

* * *

_D123/9 ABY_

**THE 'UNTAMABLE JEDI' HAS FINALLY MET HER MATCH!**

**While visiting her good friends, the Wren-Bridgers, on Krownest, Jedi Master Atina Kryze met a new member of the Wren Clan, Din Djarin, and immediately fell…**

**Ha ha. Not.**

**And immediately hated the darkly handsome man on sight. **

**Because he made her heart pound and she felt like she was losing control of her life as he steadfastly remained even more stubborn than she was. **

**Sabine Wren-Bridger said they spent an entire week sparring both verbally and physically before Atina finally caved in to her feelings and the growing Force bond between them, eventually just pinning the man to the training mat and plastering her mouth to his. **

**They then proceeded to disappear from sight, not even emerging for meals, for the next three days.**

**When they did reappear, they were married and she could sense that she was already pregnant. **

**Wow. **

**Djarin, by the way, is one of the millions of orphans who lost their parents during the Clone Wars. He was rescued and raised by Paz Vizla's branch of Death Watch, which went their own way after his cousin, Pre Vizsla, lost control of the main branch when Mand'alor Kryze took over. **

**Paz had some strange ideas about what it meant to be a Mandalorian, including never taking off their helmets in the presence of other living, intelligent beings or telling anyone their names. And poor Djarin lived by that creed until his profession of bounty hunting brought him to Takodana, where he met the Wren-Bridgers, where Sabine happened to be painting a mural for Maz Kanata. **

**Sabine set Din straight on the whole helmet and name thing, and, liking the man, she took him home to meet her clan. **

**Countess Ursa Wren officially adopted him into Clan Wren two weeks later. **

**And now he's married to the niece of the Mand'alor. **

**We'd say Djarin has definitely moved up in the world. **

**We're giving kudos to Djarin on this one. **

* * *

_D2/9 ABY_

**SKYWALKER ELECTED AS CHANCELLOR!**

**Padmè Skywalker, former Queen of Naboo and long-time Senator, has finally consented to run for the position of Chancellor, and she won easily, replacing Mon Mothma, whose run of 3 possible terms has ended. **

**The Republic is now run by the ultimate power couple. And we love them for it. **

**Although, technically, SuperAni doesn't actually run the Jedi High Council, he is on it, and we know that the current Master of the Council, Obi-Wan Kryze, values his former Padawan's opinion greatly. **

**And surely it's only a matter of time before Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker is promoted once again?**

* * *

_D3/9 ABY_

**3RD PEACE BALL HELD, MORE LOVE FOUND!**

**We've come to the conclusion that the ball should be renamed the Matchmaking Ball after once again watching more new couples form before our eyes.**

**First, we saw Jedi Knight, Arexa Tano (26), fall head over heels for Randonis Calrissian (30), the new Senator of Bespin and son of the infamous Baron Administrator of Cloud City, Landonis Calrissian. The suave young man seems to have just as much luck with women as his father did, considering he's landed one of the most beautiful unattached women at the ball. **

**Hopefully, for Tano's sake, the younger Calrissian is a bit more honourable. **

**And if he isn't, well, Arexa Tano has a very formidable family that would just love to hand him his prized jewels on a platter if he breaks her heart.**

**Next, Rian Chuchi (29), the new Senator of Pantora since his mother's retirement last year, was seen following Ko-Ana Kryze (24), daughter of the Mand'alor, around like a faithful puppy. **

**The red haired, ice blue eyed, and armoured young woman didn't kill him for it, so we assume that she accepted his attentions.**

* * *

_D284/10 ABY_

**A 3RD GENERATION OF TANO'S BEGINS!**

**Yesterday, Arexa and Randonis Calrissian welcomed to the world their first child. The boy, named Xandonis, takes after his mother and grandmother with the Togrutan genes dominating, sporting miniature montrals and lekku. He's also a very pale orange with barely visible white markings similar to Ahsoka Tano's, unlike his mother, who ended up with no markings at all. **

**(Gotta love those recessive genes.)**

* * *

_D99/15 ABY_

**THE LONE PADAWAN!**

**In one of those things that just happen, there was only one Initiate this year; one Kanan Syndulla-Dume. **

**The blind Youngling had no lack of interested potential teachers, though, with many Knights and Masters eager to work with the talented young man. **

**But there was only one person that Kanan wanted to teach him, and he walked straight to Ezra Wren (the 'Bridger' was formally lost when his wife took over as Countess of her Clan when Ursa Wren retired last year). Master Wren was taught by Kanan's father, which means the Force was doing its circle thing again. **

**Or was it?**

**Could Kanan's choice possibly be called cheating, considering that he already knows everyone by their Force signatures only? **

**We guess it doesn't matter that much, as long as the training bond is there.**

* * *

_D97/17 ABY_

**MASTER KRYZE RETIRES FROM THE HIGH COUNCIL!**

**Yesterday, on his 75th birthday, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kryze announced to the galaxy that he was retiring. **

**The High Council had been given an extra day of warning and already voted on his replacement, Master Anakin Skywalker, now considered one of the wisest and most knowledgeable Jedi of all time at 59 years of age.**

**He's definitely still the most powerful, despite teaching many of his new powers to anyone who was capable of learning. (Including his children, who are both on the High Council as well.) **

**Unsurprisingly, Senator Kryze also announced her retirement at yesterday's Senate meeting. **

**The Kryzes will be retiring to her family estate on her homeworld of Kalevala, where they have spent numerous vacations over the years. **

* * *

_D99/18 ABY_

**PADAWAN DAY AGAIN!**

**This year, the most talked about Initiates are the Syndulla-Dume twins. Like one would assume, they've been basically inseparable and share a very strong bond. Many were worried that they would try and pick the same Master, which isn't allowed. (Only one Padawan per Master at a time.) **

**To help ensure that this didn't happen, the girls were made to choose separately, after all of the other Initiates had done the usual group procedure, with the second not even being in the room while the first chose a Master. (I've always had a picture in my mind of a big open room lined with Jedi Knights and Masters, while a dozen or so young teenagers bump around blindfolded, giggling like normal kids.) **

**Fortunately, it worked. Dawn picked Master Destina Kryze-Chuchi (who was apprenticed to Grand Master Yoda himself), and Eve picked Master Anakin Skywalker. (Lucky kid.) **

* * *

_D100/18 ABY_

**ALMOST RIGHT!**

**I've been informed that aside from the bumping, the image I have of Padawan Day is fairly accurate. **

**Although the Younglings are supposed to take the ceremony seriously, giggling almost always inevitably occurs, according to Grand Master Fisto.**

**Good for them. Kids should be allowed to be kids. **

**(Unlike during the times of the Clone Wars, when young teenagers were sent to war and given the rank and responsibilities of Commanders and Generals.)**

* * *

_D3/19 ABY_

**ANOTHER PEACE BALL, ANOTHER ROMANCE!**

**This year, the new romance of the night went to Jedi Master Kexso Tano. **

**The Togrutan / Clone hybrid fell for the daughter of the Senator of Onderon, Lexi Bonteri, who is also a Togrutan hybrid and has recently completed the long and grueling education process to become a medical doctor, attending various universities around the galaxy. **

**The two hybrids looked stunning together, and clearly couldn't keep their eyes off of each other. (Or their hands, as they danced as close as possible.) **

**We wondered why they hadn't met before, considering that his mother (Ahsoka Tano) and her father (Lux Bonteri) are good friends, and found out with some delicate snooping that they actually had. As children. But they ended up going off in two different directions when his former Master, Shaak Ti, took him to her home planet of Shilli for most of his apprenticeship, and she went off to school. **

**We're just happy the obviously perfect for each other pair is together now. **

* * *

_D99/19 ABY_

**THE MUCH ANTICIPATED PADAWAN DAY FINALLY ARRIVED!**

**And I was invited to actually watch this one!**

**Amongst this year's crop of Initiates, we have 3 Skywalkers, 1 Kryze-Chuchi, 1 Wren, and 10 Baby Yodas. (Okay, they all have their own names, but we will never grow out of calling them the Baby Yodas. Sorry kids.) **

**In a veritable sea of blindfolded Younglings, the tallest and the unspoken-but-very-much-acknowledged leader of the age group, Ben Solo (really Ben-Wan Skywalker Solo, but he rolls his eyes nearly out of his head if you use his full name) was the first one to pick a Master. No one was surprised when he walked right up to Master Obi-Wan Kryze. **

**Next was Anika Skywalker, choosing her grandfather's former Padawan, Ahsoka Tano. (The circles continue.) Only seconds later, her twin brother, Padmer, walked up to Grand Master Fisto and grinned. The Nautolan grinned right back as if the boy wasn't wearing a blindfold. **

**Hot on Padmer's heels was his bonded girlfriend. **

**Kenobina Kryze-Chuchi chose Master Luke Skywalker, and then Anika's bonded boyfriend, Calum Wren, walked up to Master Caleb Dume. (Yay, I just won my own bet!)**

**And finally, the Baby Yodas started picking Masters, having spent a good five minutes running around and giggling. (And bouncing off each other, just because Master Fisto said that they didn't, knowing that I was watching.) The powerful little Yoda clones were all technically born (made, whatever) in 41 BBY, but because of their time spent in stasis and their slow growth and maturity rate, it's taken 61 years for the Temple Masters to decide that they were mature enough to finally be Padawans.**

**They might have been jumping the blaster a bit yet.**

**But what's done is done, and now 10 Jedi Knights and Masters get the fun job of teaching the little Trolls (oops, still not their species?) for the next 18ish years. **

**Included in the lucky (?) lot was Leia Solo, Arexa Tano, Kexso Tano, Atina Kryze, Luminara Unduli, Bariss Offee, Quinlan Vos, Asajj Vos, and the original Jedi twins, Masters Tiplar and Tiplee. **

* * *

_D364/19 ABY_

**SYNDULLA-DUME RETURNS!**

**And he's not alone. **

**The famous Force Finder, Jacen Syndulla-Dume, Jedi Knight and former apprentice to Master Aayla Secura-Fisto, had been following his instincts around the galaxy, locating people strong in the Force to send to the Temple if they wanted to go. **

**This time, he followed his instincts all the way to the unknown regions and was gone for almost the entire year since he's been Knighted. (We now know that he was following the call of his Force gifted mate.) **

**He came home to the Temple just in time to celebrate Life Day with his parents and siblings, and he brought home a wife. **

**Princess Skye of Cerulia, to be exact. **

**The young woman is a Nautolan/human hybrid with pale blue skin, red hair, big black eyes, and is descended from none other than the missing Tia Fisto, older sister to the Grand Master of the Order, Kit Fisto, on one side, and Tia's human Master, Zen Gugi, on the other. **

**Tia is still alive and well, and married to the amphibious Cerulean King of the planet she and her exploration ship crash landed on more than 2 centuries ago. **

**Master Fisto was astounded and extremely grateful for the news, and ecstatic to meet his grandniece. He says he'll take his family (wife and 3 adopted clone sons and their wives and kids) on a vacation one of these days and go see his sister, whom he remembers in name only.**

* * *

_D78/20 ABY, Kalevala_

Ben tossed and turned on his soft bed in his luxurious bedroom in the Kryze Mansion. The sense of unease in his dreams of the last few days would not let him rest easy and it was even worse tonight.

At two in the morning, he gave up trying to sleep and rolled off the bed.

Even after living with Master Kryze for almost a year, Ben was still having trouble adjusting to how soft the bed was, since his mattress at the Temple had been little more than a thin barrier between himself and the floor. A training mat was honestly more comfortable than the beds the younglings were given.

Pulling only a pillow with him, he settled flat out on the lushly carpeted floor and crossed his hands over his chest and his feet at the ankles, determined to still his mind so he wasn't a walking zombie tomorrow morning.

Taking deep and slow breaths, he closed his eyes to the dim glow of the moon through the window and settled into meditating with the Force. His mind wandered along the currents of the Force, showing him flashes of the sleeping household around him, and then further afield to neighbouring estates, and then even further until he was flashing out into space and floating in the endless peace to be found there.

He unconsciously let out a shuddering sigh of relief as his nerves finally settled down and he relaxed into the carpet.

He remained mentally floating like that for a while until he felt a faint tug off in the distance. Curious, he turned his mental eye towards the pull, and Ben was suddenly zooming through space faster than lightspeed, planets and stars whipping by in a blur.

His unexpected trip came to a sudden halt just outside an old Nubian cruiser at the same time that it was struck by a sudden asteroid storm.

"No," he breathed in fear and mourning as the ship lost a wing and careened out of control as it was bounced around like a ping pong ball within the speeding asteroids. He could only watch as the ship finally broke free and continued its spinning path straight towards a beige desert planet.

Like a magnet, he was drawn to follow the doomed ship, wishing that there was something he could do help them. But he thought of himself as just a vision and it never occurred to him that he could possibly reach across space and influence the path of the ship with the Force.

As the ship burnt through the atmosphere at a speed guaranteed to leave it no more than just a smear in the dirt when it landed, a loud cry caught his attention. Following the wailing, Ben found himself pulled inside the spinning ship and in front of a tiny girl with messy brown hair and tears streaming down her face as she clung to the leg of her bunk for dear life.

_Oh, Force. She'll never survive this. I can't let her die. I just can't. _

So without thinking it through, he wrapped his Force essence around her.

Her crying stopped instantly, like she could feel him.

Surprised, he tried talking to her. _"It's okay. I've got you. It's okay."_

"Okay," she answered in a tiny voice, eyes wide.

The ship hit the sand hard, flipping and bouncing and shattering until it finally came to a stop, little more than pieces left scattered over the course of kilometres.

Through it all, Ben clung to the bunk and the girl, his essence turning into an actual projection of his form as he flung everything he had into holding onto them. And she clung to him, tiny little twig-like arms wrapped around his neck like indestructible vines.

The world settled around them, with blue sky above and sand covering everything that had survived of her cabin.

Ben didn't want to let her go.

But he had to if he was going to get her help.

He pulled back his projected image so that he was holding her by her incredibly tiny and narrow shoulders. "Hey. What's your name?"

She hiccupped and gave him a tremulous smile. "Reyleena Palpatine. But Mommy and Daddy call me their Little Rey."

Ben blinked once at the name; he knew his history. Every Youngling did. But he smiled nonetheless, because this girl was his to protect; he knew it in his very bones. "All right. Rey it is. My name is Ben. I'm going to go get you help, okay? You stay right here."

The girl frowned as she looked around at the wreckage. "Okay. But what about Mommy and Daddy? Are you going to help them too?"

"Ummmmmm." _Kriff. There's no way they survived this. _"Hang on. I'll go see if I can find them."

"Okay." She smiled like he was going to perform miracles. It made his heart hurt because he knew he wasn't. But he had to check. For her.

Ben wisped a hand over her epic case of bedhead, and then zoomed off, quickly floating his essence down the deep path of destruction and looking for any signs of more people. He found the first one about half a kilometre away; her mother, or what was left of her. Grimacing, Ben floated on. The father wasn't much better looking, limbs and head all facing the wrong ways. Swallowing back the urge to be sick (not even sure if he could do that while only in his mind and not wanting to find out what his actual body would do), Ben let the pull of Rey whip him back to her side in an instant and he automatically made himself look like a fifteen year old boy again.

"Mommy? Daddy?" She asked in that same little voice.

His expression must have said it all for him because she started crying again, but this time it was just heart-wrenching tears made in silence. He gathered her into his arms and she clung to him again for a period of time that felt like both forever and only minutes.

Eventually, she pulled back and nodded solemnly, wiping the tears off her face with the sleeve of her nightdress. He knew that if he was in the same position as her, there was no way he would be half as strong. The girl impressed him. A lot. And she couldn't be more than five.

"Okay. You can go get help now. I'll wait here," she whispered.

Ben kissed her forehead and hugged her once more. "Kay. I'll be as fast as I can. I promise." He looked up at the beating sun. "You should take shelter from the sun or you'll burn."

She looked around for a second. "I'll dig out the sand under my bed and hide under there, how's that?"

"Perfect." He gave her a wide smile. He turned to leave and then turned back. "You don't happen to know what planet you were flying near before this happened, do you?"

Rey shook her head, eyes widening with the understanding that finding her help might not be as quick as she thought.

Ben nodded once in agreement. "That's okay. I'll figure it out. I can feel you now. I'll find you."

"I believe you."

Ben gave her one last smile and then thought himself back into his body.

He opened his eyes with gasp, sitting bolt upright. "Rey!"

Scrambling onto his feet, he ran out of his room, calling, _"Obi-Wan! Master!" _as loud as he could in his mind as he made for the other side of the mansion, heart pounding in his ears.

Fortunately, Obi-Wan woke up right away and met him in the hallway about two thirds of the way to the east wing.

Ben had never been so happy to see his grey haired and bearded Master. "Master!" he gasped, panting from the adrenaline rush.

Obi-Wan reached up and put his hands on his shoulders. "Steady, Ben. What is it?"

"Girl. Crash. Desert. Must find. Mine. A Palpatine. Crazy connection. Let's go!"

Obi-Wan blinked a few times, trying to make sense of that mess, amused at how much Ben was like Anakin sometimes. "Ben. You have to calm down. I can't even read your mind right now, it's basically swirling."

Ben took a deep breath. And another. And one more for good measure. Then he opened his mind and let his Master see what had happened, realizing that was a million times faster than trying to explain.

A minute later, Obi-Wan sucked in a breath and patted Ben on the shoulder. "Right. Go get dressed and pack. We're going on a rescue mission."

Ben breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank kriff."

And then he was running back to his room as Obi-Wan shook his head with a fond smile. _Always in a hurry, my Skywalkers are. _

_Gah. Now I sound like Yoda. I really am getting old._

* * *

_D80/20 ABY_

**GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER OF THE TRAITOROUS SUPREME CHANCELLOR PALPATINE FOUND IN CRASH SITE ON JAKKU!**

**The 5 year old girl, called Reyleena, and her unfortunately now deceased parents were the victims of an asteroid storm that also damaged 7 other ships across the Inner Rim. None of the other collisions were fatal, though.**

**The girl was found by Padawan Ben Solo and his Master, Obi-Wan Kryze. Ben had received a vision of her crash and immediately set out to find her, using his faith in the Force and the news of recent of asteroid storm sightings to guide him. **

**They arrived almost twenty hours after the crash happened, and the girl was exactly where she said she'd be, hiding within the wreckage, safe from the sun. She was dehydrated and hungry, but otherwise unhurt. **

**When she saw Ben, she leapt at him and into his arms, crossing a distance that only a Human with the ability to use the Force could make. **

**We are not surprised.**

**Reyleena is now at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, surrounded by curious Younglings and with a protective Ben Solo hovering nearby. **

**Master Kryze was overheard grumbling to his wife via holo comm that he'll be dust in the ground before he'll be able to talk Ben into leaving the Temple, so she might as well fly back to Coruscant if she wants to see him anytime soon.**

** The High Council was happy. They got their favourite member back, at least for a little bit.**

* * *

_D99/22 ABY, Coruscant_

**ANOTHER OF THE 3RD GENERATION OF THE 'FEARLESS' JEDI FINDS HER MASTER!**

**Yesterday, Mira Wren did the blindfold thing and stopped in front of Mara Jade Skywalker. The daughter-in-law of our 'SuperAni' has never been chosen before, and seemed a bit speechless that she finally had been. **

**We think the two are a perfect match; an ex bounty hunter and a Mandalorian Jedi. **

**They're going to leave the scum of the galaxy in tears, guaranteed.**

Padmè smiled at the last line of the short article as she read it on her faithful datapad. "Yes. Yes they are." With a hand that trembled slightly, she sent the article into the 'Ani and Co' file that she'd started fifty-five years ago.

She blinked blearily as another wave of exhaustion tried to sweep her away. _So. Tired. Why am I always so tired lately? _

Giving up the fight to keep her eyes open, she let the datapad fall onto the couch beside her. _I'll finish catching up on the news later. _

_I hope Ani comes home soon. Threepio's been holding dinner for an hour now. _

_Ani. Come… _was her last thought as blackness took over and a small white ball of fluff woke up from his nap on her stomach, whimpering as he sensed something wrong.

* * *

Anakin was just leaving the High Council chamber when he felt his bond with Padmè suddenly flutter and then disappear. He staggered, a hand going to his heart as it felt like it were literally breaking inside his chest.

Ahsoka, walking beside him, looked over in concern. "Are you alright?"

Gasping, he shook his head only once. "Mey," he managed to get out through a closing throat, just before he forced himself to concentrate enough to teleport, since there was no way he was going to take the time to drive.

In his wake, tears stung Ahsoka's eyes as she whispered, "Oh no." She reached for her commlink and called emergency services, asking for an ambulance to be sent to Chancellor Skywalker's apartment.

Then she was running down the halls, forced to have to drive like a normal person. (Only Anakin had ever mastered the art of teleporting, much to many people's disgust. Her theory was that he was the only one powerful enough with the Force to do it.) As she ran, she started making comm calls, knowing Anakin was going to need his family around him to hold him together if he'd lost his precious Padmè.

* * *

Anakin appeared on the main balcony of the apartment they'd lived in for forty-three years, startling Captain Typho awake from where he'd been napping on one of the patio couches. (Despite his advanced age, the man refused to quit as Head of Security. They indulged him, since Gregar was basically family.)

"Wha…?"

Anakin ignored him, tearing into the living room on the run, eyes already pinned to the slender figure reclining on a couch that faced the main apartment door, a little Snowtoy tooka mewling in distress from by her chin as he licked her face.

He choked on a sob as he fell to his knees beside her. "Mey. Oh, Mey. Please don't be gone. Please," he begged as he pulled her limp body down into his lap, displacing Gretto, who jumped up onto his shoulder and mewled pitifully.

But he already knew she was. Her Force signature was gone from this plane of existence.

He rocked her body anyway, keening faintly as he pressed a kiss to the top of her beautiful chocolate and silver hair, tears streaming down his cheeks.

Eventually, he looked up and found Gregar on his knees beside him, the older man also crying. Threepio hovered nearby, saying, "Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear," over and over again, until Artoo zapped him in the leg and beeped at him to shut up.

"She's gone," Anakin whispered as the sound of an approaching ambulance filled the air.

Gregar could only manage a sad sniff in response, more tears welling in his single eye.

Anakin closed his eyes and rested his cheek on her head, knowing this was his last chance to hold her until he also passed into the Force someday.

"Excuse me, Sir," a med droid said kindly only a minute later. "We can't help her if you don't let her go."

Anakin looked up at the droid with heartbroken eyes. "She can't be fixed. She's already gone."

"I cannot accept that until I scan her for myself," the med droid reasoned.

"Fine." Sniffing, Anakin reluctantly let Padmè go.

They laid her out carefully on the floor and then the droid ran a scanner over her nonbreathing form. He processed the results for a couple of seconds and then looked at Anakin with as much remorse as possible. "You are correct. She is gone. She has a massive tumor in her heart that has prevented the blood from flowing out of the left ventricle. If she had been scanned even so much as a few days ago, we could have operated on it, and increased her life expectancy by another ten or more years."

Anakin did not need to hear that; the knowledge that her death could have been delayed. He managed to remain polite anyway. "Thank you. You can… take… her body. I'll be… along in a bit to deal with the paperwork and make arrangements."

"Yes, Sir."

Anakin turned away, putting his head between his knees, not able to watch as the team of med droids dealt with his beloved wife's body. Gretto crawled down his arm and meowed at him from his knee. Taking pity on the creature who was mourning just as much as he was, Anakin cupped him in his hands and added him to the dark space in his lap. And then he made an attempt at pulling himself together before he lost it altogether.

This was the scene Ahsoka ran into, her worst fears confirmed. She fell to her knees beside him and wrapped her arms around his stiff shoulders.

"Snips," he whispered, not looking up or opening his eyes, still fighting the need to bawl.

"I'm here, Skyguy. I'll always be here," she murmured quietly, laying her head on his shoulder.

"I know."

* * *

Very early the next morning, with an apartment full of his sleeping family on every available flat and half decently comfortable surface, Anakin quietly picked his way through the living room. His attention was caught by a datapad on the floor beside the couch that now held Din, with Atina draped over his chest (the only two people who were strong willed enough to sleep on the same couch Padmè had died on).

He carefully called the datapad to himself with the Force, knowing that if he went anywhere near Din and Atina, the Mandalorian would wake up ready to shoot.

Now grasping it, he tiptoed his way to the kitchen and propped himself up on a counter after he had started the caf maker. The datapad was only in sleep mode, and it turned on right away as he touched the screen. The last article was still on the screen, and only took him a few seconds to read.

Despite the heaviness in his chest, Anakin managed to twitch his mouth into a temporary smile at the last line. _He's not wrong. Mira and Mara are definitely going to enjoy their time together cleaning up the galaxy of the riffraff. _

Sighing heavily, he shook his head at the datapad. _Mey and her news articles. I swear my entire history is on this thing. _

He almost put it down when the caf machine dinged its readiness, but a sudden urge to check the morning news had him connecting to the holonet.

The first headline was the one he both dreaded and expected to see.

**CHANCELLOR SKYWALKER, DEAD!**

**Last night, the woman who has survived at least a dozen assassination attempts suddenly succumbed to an unknown ailment, leaving a heartbroken Anakin Skywalker behind in the land of the living. **

**We're all so sorry for your loss, SuperAni.**

**Padmè Naberrie Amidala Skywalker (71) was beloved to trillions, but none more so than her family and devoted husband. **

**Her public funeral parade will take place on the evening of the 102nd, on Naboo, followed by a quiet reception for those closest to her. **

**Everyone is welcome to come mourn the former Queen as she's taken through the picturesque streets of Theed.**

**We will miss her forthright and impassioned speeches, and her caring demeanour that never looked down on anyone.**

Anakin swiped at the determined tear that escaped his eye and tracked down his cheek, then sent the article to the amusingly titled file, 'Important Political Poodoo'. (Despite his suggestions, she never did make a separate file for herself called 'The Angelic Politician'.)

_Force, I miss you so much already, Mey._

Sighing softly, he turned off the datapad and put it on the counter, then reached for a mug. He had a feeling he was going to be drinking a LOT of caf over the next couple of days.

Sipping at the hot liquid, Anakin scooped up the datapad and went searching for Threepio.

He didn't have to look far, since the droid was walking up the hallway. Anakin handed him the datapad on the way by. "Please pack this away with the rest of Padmè's things."

Threepio, knowing full well what the datapad contained, looked at it morosely as he took it. "Yes… Master Ani."

"Thanks, Threepio. And rent some serving droids to help you take care of everyone," he added as he walked on, more or less resigned to living the rest of his mortal life without his Angel at his side.

* * *

_D101/35 ABY, Kalevala_

Obi-Wan woke up to a sense of something being wrong.

He froze, staring blankly up at the ceiling.

It only took two stuttering heartbeats for him to know in his soul what it was, what was missing from his very being.

_Frag. _

Closing his eyes again, he fought back the rising sense of panic until his breathing was calm and controlled again.

Then he rolled over onto his side, old bones groaning in protest, and he looked at his precious Duchess.

Despite the fact that she looked perfectly peaceful and content, curled on her side facing him, a small smile on her lips as if she was having a really nice dream, she wasn't breathing and her brilliant Force signature was gone.

He lost some of his hard-earned control and a quiet sob escaped as tears welled in faded blue grey eyes. With a wrinkled and arthritic hand that trembled badly with age, he reached over and brushed a lock of her long silver hair off of her forehead, tucking it behind the delicate shell of her ear. _Oh, Tine'ika, my love. We had a good run didn't we? _

He leaned forward and kissed her smiling lips gently. _I'll see you soon, darling. _

Then he talked his body into rolling the other way and he sat up, legs hanging off the side of the bed. Raising a hand, he summoned his commlink from the dresser that looked much too far away right now.

An image of a somewhat stooped and grey haired Anakin showed up a few seconds later, sitting in a cross-legged position, hands resting on his knees, and clearly hovering above the mat on the floor. "Is everything all right, Obi-Wan?" he asked without opening his eyes, a hint of concern in his tone. "I can feel you blocking me all the way over here on Coruscant."

"No. And yes. Satine has passed on into the Force." _Why did that hurt so much to say? I know I'll see her again soon._

Anakin's eyes finally popped open, an open expression of understanding and grief on his face. "I'm sorry, Master, but it was time, wasn't it?"

"Yes. It was. The pain meds weren't helping her much anymore."

"Then it was for the best." Anakin floated higher until he could unfold his legs and stand. "I'll start calling the family. Is three days from now all right?"

Obi-Wan felt a wave of love and gratitude for the man who was a brother to him in everything but blood. "Yes. That's fine. Thank you."

Anakin nodded, sending Obi-Wan a wave of comfort back down their bond. "You just rest, old man. I'll take care of everything."

The old Jedi Master turned a bit, looking over his shoulder at his beloved. "Not everything. I'll take care of Satine myself."

Anakin's holo image reached out and Obi-Wan felt a ghostly hand squeeze his shoulder. "I understand. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Thank you, Anakin."

* * *

Two hours later, Anakin had contacted the various households of all of his family members (most of which he wasn't actually related to).

All of them, that is, except for his grandson, Ben, and his new wife, Rey, because they were on their honeymoon and understandably weren't answering their comm. Ben also had his mind blocked from any intrusions.

Anakin snorted softly as he gave up, running a hand through his hair in mild frustration. He knew from personal experience what the most likely reason was for blocking the rest of the galaxy out, but his grandson's timing wasn't the greatest.

"Threepio!" he called as he started tossing a few days worth of clothes into a bag.

His faithful old droid trundled into the bedroom about half a minute later. "Yes, Master Ani?"

"Keep trying to call Ben and Rey for me, would you?"

"Of course."

"Once an hour should be enough. When you do get through, tell them to meet me on Kalevala."

"Certainly."

"I'm going to the Temple to pick up all the kids. When you're finished here, Artoo will fly you and the crates to Ben's apartment."

"All right."

Anakin shouldered his bag and walked to the doorway. He stopped and turned, looking back at the room he'd spent some of the best moments of his life in with a fond farewell, fairly certain he was never going to step foot in it again.

Then he looked at the fading gold protocol droid he'd built from scraps when he was just a child. "And Threepio?"

The droid look looked back at him with his bright yellow photoreceptors, his pure soul shining past the expressionless face. "Yes, Master Ani?"

"Thank you for taking care of us so well."

"It was my pleasure, Master."

Anakin nodded to his friend and turned and left the room to go find Artoo.

* * *

_Scarif_

Rey was grinning wide enough to make her face hurt and giggling madly as she bolted over the soft white sand and splashed through patches of warm turquoise water.

Hot on her heels, her very tall husband growled. "You're going to regret that, Rey Solo!"

"No, I don't think I will!" she yelled back, running even faster. Ben might be a good twenty centimetres taller than her, but she was easily swifter and more graceful.

She hadn't anticipated his sheer determination to catch her, though.

Ben raced after the lithe form of the other half of his soul, basically panting at how incredibly hot she looked wearing nothing but a little black bikini. He'd known she was gorgeous when he married her, of course, but her usual white Jedi outfit didn't even come close to showing off that much mouth-watering skin.

And like a noble fool, he'd made them wait until she was twenty before marrying her and engaging in anything more than some heated kissing, because he didn't want there to be any scandal about cradle robbing, having seen and heard enough rumours about his own parents' hasty marriage and huge age difference.

He might have overdone the whole 'hands off' thing by a couple of years, though. It's not like everyone didn't already believe they were being intimate as soon as she turned sixteen.

_But, oh stars, was she ever worth the wait. _

Even if she did just deliberately dump her ice cold fruit smoothie all over his head, which was still dripping into his eyes off the ends of his hair.

He still didn't know why.

So it was time to find out.

With a triumphant roar he leapt through the air and tackled her to the sand, pulling her tight into his body and rolling so that he protected her as they fell.

She was still laughing.

Ben pinned her to the sand, hands on either side of her head and knees beside her hips. Then he narrowed his brown eyes at her sparkling hazel ones. "All right, sweetheart," he growled, the term of endearment sounding like anything but. "Why'd you do it?"

She smiled beatifically and reached up, swiping a finger through the thick pink liquid clinging to his sharp cheekbone. Then she put said finger in her mouth and sucked. Slowly. Ben instantly reacted, swim trunks tightening and pupils dilating. _Frag._

"Why?" she said back, eyes smoldering at him as she wrapped her arms around his neck and tugged him down onto her. "So that I could get you away from the public beach, of course."

Ben blinked, and then blinked again. "Oh." She wriggled under him, rubbing herself against his rapidly-turning-to-stone erection. "OH!"

He got it.

"You could have just said something," he grumbled, even as he ground his hips into her.

Rey smirked. "Yes. I could have. But that would be nowhere near as fun."

He pouted even as she started licking his face, sending his heart into palpitations. "If you say so. You're not the one who's all sticky."

"Don't worry, you big baby," she teased. "I have every intention of finishing my smoothie. And then taking you out into the ocean for a bath."

He somehow hardened further at her husky tone.

"Stars, Rey. You're going to kill me."

"That's the plan." Rey kissed him fleetingly, and then returned to licking his face like a hungry tooka.

Somehow, Ben bore the sweet torture. But he wasn't exactly still while she did it, hips grinding his throbbing hardness into her covered heat, and hands roaming over whatever bits of her he could reach. Which happened to be her legs, for the most part, so he curled one up to his side and skimmed his fingers over the satin skin.

Rey hummed with pleasure in her throat, loving the taste of fruit and salty man. She moved her attentions to his neck and broad shoulders, core shuddering as his grinding length stimulated her clit. And when his shoulders were clean, she started licking up the drops on his absolutely perfect, muscle-packed and hairless chest.

She would have loved him no matter what he looked like, because he was her Ben, and he'd saved her life, and he'd been her best friend since she was five ( despite the ten year age difference), and he was literally the other half of her soul, giving them a unique Force bond like no other. But she also knew that she'd lucked out, too. Because not only was he sweet and caring and honourable, but also drop dead handsome, with beautiful thick black hair, warm golden brown eyes, sexy cheekbones, plush lips that she loved to kiss, and a physique that frankly put most of their Mandalorian friends to shame.

And his cock was a perfect match for his big feet and long fingered hands.

A cock that she wanted in her before she exploded just from his rubbing.

She trailed her hands down his chest and pushed at his trunks impatiently. "In, Ben. In me now."

Ben groaned in relief. "Thank kriff." In only seconds, his trunks were shoved down just far enough to release him, her bottoms were tugged up her thighs, her feet were on his left shoulder, and he was buried in her wonderful, wet, and oh-so-tight heat. "Stars, you're so fragging perfect," he said as she moaned, arms flinging out into the sand and fingers grabbing handfuls as he pumped into her.

She looked up at him through slitted eyes that looked more black than anything and smiled. "You're pretty fragging perfect yourself, Ben Solo."

He beamed at the praise and was inspired to try even harder.

Basically folding her in half, he pushed forward and around her legs to capture her sexy mouth in a loving kiss that quickly turned into a duel of the tongues. His hips moved frantically. His hands found their way under her bikini top and cupped and squeezed her breasts. And he kissed her some more.

And when her channel clamped around him as her back arched off the sand and she grabbed handfuls of his sticky hair, he pounded into her even harder, bottoming out with each thrust, until they were both keening their pleasure into each other's mouths.

When he felt empty like he'd just poured his entire being into her depths, and his lungs worked like a bellows to supply oxygen to his quivering muscles, Ben had to fight not to completely crush her with his weight.

Rey continued to cling to his neck, now pressing little kisses to his clean-shaven jaw as the last of her internal tremors faded away. "Force, I love doing that," she murmured against his skin, before pulling her head back a bit and giving him a squinty eyed look. "I still can't believe you made us wait till we got married, though. We could have been doing this for four years already without anyone throwing you in jail for it."

Ben shrugged helplessly. "I know. And I'm sorry. But you know my reasons."

She huffed, rolling her eyes. "Yeah. I do. And what's done is done." She squirmed under him, so he extracted himself from her heat and let her up. She knelt in the sand and fixed her swimsuit so it covered everything it was supposed to again. Then she jumped to her feet and held out her hand. "Come on, babe. Time for an ocean bath."

Ben laughed, pulled up his trunks, and took her hand, marveling at her strength as she easily pulled him to his feet. "I won't argue with you on that one. I have sand sticking to me in very uncomfortable places, thanks to you."

Rey wrinkled her nose at him and whirled away, dashing for the ocean.

Ben chased after her again, fully intending to have her again in the water as soon as she washed his hair for him, because he'd discovered yesterday that floating sex was hilariously fun.

* * *

A few hours later, they returned to the beach resort, exhausted, a little more sunburnt than when they'd left, and gloriously happy.

As they walked through the lobby towards the turbolift, a large screen showing the galactic news was playing behind the bar.

Ben and Rey stopped dead in their tracks as they heard the familiar music that came with a, **"Breaking news!"**

Both feeling a sudden sense of dread, they turned back around and looked at the screen.

The familiar face of the galaxy's favourite red haired reporter, wearing her signature yellow, appeared a second later. "**This is Laprel Oleil and I have some tragic news. Just hours ago, the galaxy lost a Duchess and Senator who had a huge impact on our peaceful lives as we know them now. Satine Kryze died in her sleep at the age of ninety at her home on Kalevala. She will always be remembered as the peace loving Duchess of Mandalore, leader of the Council of Neutral Systems, a Senator of Mandalore, sister and aunt to two Mand'alor rulers, and finally, the beloved wife of retired Master of the Jedi High Council, Obi-Wan Kenobi Kryze, who will always be remembered as 'The Negotiator' during the Clone Wars." **

Laprel took a moment to dab at her shimmering eyes with a tissue before continuing. **"She leaves behind a vast and powerful network of family and friends who we know are in deep mourning right now. There will be a private funeral tomorrow as soon as all of her family arrive from various parts of the galaxy, and then a memorial service will be held on the morning of the 104th day of the galactic calendar at her estate on Kalevala and is open to everyone."**

She dabbed at her eyes again, genuine sorrow on her perfect face. **"I, for one, will definitely be there, reporting and recording live for anyone who can't make it. We at the Galactic Holo News Network extend our sincerest sympathies to her family and Master Kryze."**

With a final delicate sniff from Laprel, the news returned to its regular program.

Ben and Rey looked at each other, her hand at her throat as tears welled in her eyes. Ben had to clear his throat a couple of times before he could speak. "We need to go."

Rey nodded once and then they were running for the lift.

* * *

_D105/35 ABY, Coruscant_

**GALAXY IN MOURNING AGAIN.**

**Coming as no surprise to anyone who knew how much Obi-Wan and Satine Kryze loved each other, Jedi Master Kryze (93) passed into the Force not long after the memorial service for his wife concluded. **

**And so did Master Anakin Skywalker (77).**

**According to Captain Poe Dameron of the GAR, and wife to the Jedi Knight, Mira Wren, the old Jedi Masters said their goodbyes to everyone as many tears fell down cheeks. Master Kryze then smiled at Master Skywalker and nodded in the vague direction of the nearby lake. "Shall we go, then, Anakin? Our wives are waiting."**

**Skywalker smiled back. "We shall." **

**And as they strolled towards the sun setting over the lake, with Kryze leaning heavily on his cane, their robes eventually fluttered to the ground, empty. (Ummmmmm, WTF?)**

**And then, as just an echoing voice on the air, everyone present swore they heard Skywalker say, "You know, Master, I think this is the first time you've ever been more impatient than I."**

**Oh, SuperAni, you still know how to win our hearts even as you make us cry.**

**We hope the Kryzes and Skywalkers are happy and young again together, wherever they are.**

In the apartment of Ben and Rey Solo, a golden protocol droid sent the sad but beautiful news article to the file called 'Ani and Co' and then he packed the datapad back in the box of his former mistress' most treasured things, hoping that a future generation of Skywalkers would find it one day and know just how important their ancestors had been.

* * *

**THE END**

* * *

**A/N: I cried like a baby for two days straight while writing the last quarter of this incredibly long epilogue. Force, that was hard.**

**A/N 2: Yes, I know that Rey is supposed to be Palpatine's granddaughter via clone, not great-granddaughter, but I like this better. I like to think that Palpatine actually did have a family hidden in the background somewhere, because as an important political figure, it would have been expected. And I made her a granddaughter due to timing. Ben is Anakin's grandson, and Anakin is 43 years younger than Palpatine. Thus, Rey should be one more generation down the line from Palpatine. (I hope that made sense to you.)**

* * *

**I want to thank everyone that faved, followed, kudosed, subbed, and reviewed this story. (Especially my AO3 readers, you guys rock!) Your support keeps me writing for you. This is the first full story I've ever actually finished, and though it didn't happen before the end of 2019 like I hoped, at least it happened. :D**


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